ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of electronystagmography testing in the diagnosis of vertigo in children with migraine equivalent syndrome.MethodsThe investigation included 20 patients, aged between 5 and 14 years and affected with an “migraine equivalent syndrome” (group A). The patients, head blocked, sat on a “Tönnies rotatory chair” which was placed in the middle of a rotatory cylindrical chamber (2 metres in diameter and 1.9 metres in height). The rotatory cylinder was driven by a direct current engine which turned it clockwise and counterclockwise, up to 200 degrees/sec., and its internal area was covered with 32 black vertical contrasts. As a control group, 50 healthy children were identified. All the subjects underwent the rotatory vestibular stimulation by Stop test, to optokinetic stimulation and to contemporary rotatory vestibular and optokinetic stimulation (VVOR).ResultsFor the analysis of the results, we have considered nystagmus mean gain and direction of visual‐vestibular‐ocular‐reflex (VVOR) nystagmus. In group A, all the children presented a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to vestibular‐ocular‐reflex (VOR). In the control group, all the subjects presented a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to optokinetic nystagmus.ConclusionsIn the healthy patients, VVOR nystagmus is always homodirectional to OKN and indicates the optokinetic system prevalence on VOR. The presence of a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to VOR indicates the absence of the optokinetic system prevalence due to a central nervous system (CNS) modification and highlights a CNS disease. Our data highlight a possible correlation between CNS disorders and migraine equivalent syndrome.