Before your child’s appointment

To facilitate your child's evaluation, please provide the results of any tests your child has already had and complete any forms the Headache Program team sends to you in advance of your appointment.

If you are a new patient, the CHOP team will ask you to complete a questionnaire in MyCHOP, our online patient health portal, prior to your visit. We will get you set up to make sure you have access to this questionnaire when needed.

If you are looking to make an appointment for your child, please follow these instructions.

Preparing for your child’s appointment

Please arrive 30 minutes early for your child’s scheduled appointment to allow time for parking, registration, and insurance verification. Find up-to-date parking information and floor maps for CHOP's Main Campus.

Please note, if you are 15 minutes late for your child’s appointment, you may be asked to reschedule. If you need to cancel an appointment, please provide 48 hours’ notice so that we can offer the slot to another patient.

Please remember to bring the following to your child's appointment:

• Insurance card
• A referral and co-pay, if required by your insurance

If you have an out-of-network insurance, your visit will require an authorization or you will be responsible for payment of services. Please have your primary care physician contact your insurance company to obtain an authorization.

You may bring quiet activities and snacks as there may be down time during the appointment.

Checking in

When you arrive in the Neurology reception area, check in with the desk staff. New patients may be asked to complete a patient history form. After you check in, a medical assistant will take your child’s vital signs and will escort you to an exam room.

During your child’s appointment

Your child’s initial appointment with the Pediatric Headache Program may last up to three hours. A board-certified neurologist with a special interest in headache medicine will review your child’s medical history and the symptoms your child has experienced and examine your child.

The doctor will then discuss whether there is any reason to do further testing, such as blood tests or an MRI scan. Lab testing or an EKG may be done the same day or on a different day, depending on insurance and availability.

Your child’s doctor will also discuss possible treatment options, which could include medications, the adoption of certain healthy habits, cognitive behavioral therapy, and procedural or intravenous treatments.

Follow-up appointments

After your child’s appointment, proceed to the front desk to check out and schedule your follow-up appointment. Follow-up appointments can also be made by calling 215-590-1719.

Procedure visits must be scheduled by the headache coordinator.

Additional information

We know that headaches can be challenging and frustrating. We want to be sure your child is receiving the best and safest care as we work together to find the treatments that will work best for her.

If you have questions between appointments or need to talk to your child’s provider, you may find additional information by:

• Reading your child’s After Visit Summary, which will help you to understand recommended treatments for your child.
• Reviewing what to do between appointments in case of a medical emergency or if you have general questions.
• Exploring our headache resources.