Pediatric Headache in the COVID era: learning from kids’ pain with smart data and brain signals
Official title: Pediatric Chronic Headache and COVID-19: Use of Machine Learning and Biobehavioral Analysis to Classify Headache Mechanism and Optimize Treatment Course.
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11396961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pediatric-focused project uses computer learning and brain-behavior data to better classify headache types in kids and guide personalized treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $543,254 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS125265-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with chronic headaches who may experience treatment resistance or unclear headache subtypes.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy children or those with headaches that resolve quickly may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to map how different childhood headaches arise by combining clinical assessments, behavior measures, and machine learning to identify patterns. In kids and adolescents, researchers will collect data on symptoms, pain experiences, and brain-related factors to build classifiers that distinguish headache subtypes and treatment resistance. The study plans to translate these insights into more targeted, age-appropriate treatment pathways. If successful, it could reduce trial-and-error treatment and improve quality of life for children with chronic headaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could lead to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatments for pediatric headaches, reducing suffering and improving daily functioning.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in adults shows machine learning can help classify headache types, but pediatric-specific validation is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Holmes, Scott — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Holmes, Scott
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.