High Dose Methylprednisolone in Children with Severe Headache in Viral Encephalitis: A Case Series

Abstract

Severe headache is a common symptom in children with viral encephalitis (VE), yet effective symptom-specific therapies are limited. In this case series, we present three children of ages 15, 14, and seven diagnosed with VE who presented with severe headaches unresponsive to standard analgesics but showed significant clinical improvement following high-dose methylprednisolone therapy. Although this is not first line treatment, these cases suggest a possible role for methylprednisolone in alleviating severe VE-associated headaches. Further controlled studies are needed to establish its effectiveness and safety in such settings.