A photo of Joanne Kacperski.

Joanne Kacperski, MD, FAHS


  • Headache Medicine Specialist, Division of Neurology
  • Director, Post-Concussion Headache Program
  • Director, Headache Fellowship Program
  • Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
I value giving kids and their families the tools they need to treat their headaches. The right guidance can change a child's quality of life.
Joanne Kacperski, MD, FAHS

About

Biography

Treating headache patients allows me to work with a unique population — kids with chronic pain. As a pediatric neurologist and headache specialist, I value giving kids and their families the tools they need to treat their headaches. The right guidance can change a child's quality of life.

We want to empower both patients and primary care providers to understand that migraine and other headache disorders are painful conditions and that treatment options are available. Treating headaches is not about medication. Instead, a multidisciplinary and holistic approach is necessary to treat kids with headaches successfully. Children need to feel empowered and educated about headaches.

Our team takes a multidisciplinary approach to headaches. Each child has the opportunity to meet with pain psychologists to discuss healthy lifestyle habits and the importance of stress management. Psychologists teach children relaxation techniques and ways to cope with chronic pain. Specialty-trained headache nurses provide each family with educational information, so when they leave the clinic, they feel empowered and confident.

I am the director of the Headache Medicine Fellowship Program and a member of the United Council of Neurological Subspecialties Task Force for updating the headache medicine fellowship curriculum. This task force is responsible for updating the rapid changes happening within our field.

In addition to helping patients, I’m pursuing several areas of research. One study focuses on how kids' headaches are different from adults and how we may better treat them. We are also involved in studies looking at newer classes of migraine medications. We want to know how children tolerate and metabolize these medications and their efficacy among youth with migraine.

When I’m not working, I love to spend time with my husband and three children. We take long walks, cook and try new recipes. Most of all, we love traveling as a family.

BS: Loyola College, Baltimore, MD.

MS: Georgetown University, Washington, DC.

MD: Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 2006.

Residency: Pediatrics, North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY, 2008; Child Neurology, North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY.

Fellowship: Headache Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2012.

Certification: Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology, 2012; UCNS Certification in Headache Medicine, 2013.

Interests

Headaches; migraines; concussion; post-traumatic headaches

Services and Specialties

Neurology, Headache Medicine

Interests

Headache; post-traumatic headaches

Additional Languages

Polish

Insurance Information

Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.

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Publications

Clinic-Based Characterization of Adolescents and Young Adults With Migraine: Psychological Functioning, Headache Days, and Disability. Gibler, RC; Marzouk, MA; Peugh, J; Reidy, BL; Ernst, MM; Daffin, ML; Powers, SW; Samaha, MK; Kacperski, J; Hershey, AD; O’Brien, H; Slater, SK. Neurology: Clinical Practice. 2024; 14:e200294.

Preliminary prospective observational investigation of clinical outcomes among treatment-seeking youth with continuous headache. Gibler, RC; Knestrick, KE; Powers, SW; Hershey, AD; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J; Reidy, BL. Headache. 2024; 64:319-322.

Tension-Type Headaches. Hershey, AD; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics: Volume 1-2. 2024.

Migraine. Hershey, AD; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics: Volume 1-2. 2024.

Secondary Headaches. Hershey, AD; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics: Volume 1-2. 2024.

Characterization of Migraine in Children and Adolescents With Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Case-Control Study. Ghosh, A; Horn, PS; Kabbouche Samaha, M; Kacperski, J; Lecates, SL; White, S; Powers, SW; Hershey, AD. Neurology: Clinical Practice. 2023; 13:e200188.

Biopsychosocial treatment response among youth with continuous headache: A retrospective, clinic-based study. Reidy, BL; Riddle, EJ; Powers, SW; Slater, SK; Kacperski, J; Kabbouche, M; Peugh, JL; Hershey, AD. Headache. 2023; 63:942-952.

Impact of preventive pill-based treatment on migraine days: A secondary outcome study of the Childhood and Adolescent Migraine Prevention (CHAMP) trial and a comparison of self-report to nosology-derived assessments. Gibler, RC; Peugh, JL; Coffey, CS; Chamberlin, LA; Ecklund, D; Klingner, E; Yankey, J; Korbee, LL; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J; Porter, LL; Reidy, BL; Hershey, AD; Powers, SW. Headache. 2023; 63:805-812.

Clinical Reasoning: A Teenager With Right-Sided Headache and Periorbital Changes. Lax, DN; Kabbouche, M; Kacperski, J; Hershey, AD. Neurology. 2023; 100:144-150.

Indomethacin-responsive idiopathic red ear syndrome: A pediatric case. Lax, DN; Sitterle, K; Kacperski, J; Hershey, AD; Kabbouche, M. Headache. 2022; 62:1432-1433.

Patient Ratings and Comments

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4.6
Overall Patient Rating