New Drug Cuts Migraine Days in Half for Kids and Teens

Kids and teens living with chronic migraines finally have a treatment that really works.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that fremanezumab, delivered through a monthly injection, significantly reduces both migraine days and severe headache days in young people aged 6 to 17. For families watching their children miss school, sports, and time with friends due to debilitating headaches, this represents a genuine breakthrough.

The three-month clinical trial included 234 children and adolescents diagnosed with episodic migraine. Researchers divided them into two groups: one receiving fremanezumab injections and one receiving a placebo. Both groups could still use their regular medications to treat acute headaches when they occurred.

The results showed clear differences. Kids using fremanezumab experienced 2.5 fewer migraine days per month compared to 1.4 fewer days with placebo. They also saw their moderate to severe headache days drop by 2.6 days versus 1.5 days with placebo.

Even more encouraging: 47% of children on fremanezumab cut their monthly migraine days in half or more. Only 27% of kids on placebo achieved that same milestone.

Dr. Andrew Hershey from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine led the research team. He and his colleagues noted that this study addresses a critical gap, since children and adolescents have had very few proven preventive treatment options for migraines.

The safety profile looked reassuring too. The most common side effect was redness at the injection site, affecting about 10% of participants compared to 5% with placebo. No serious safety concerns emerged during the study period.

Why This Inspires

Pediatric migraines affect millions of young people, yet research into safe and effective treatments has lagged far behind adult studies. This breakthrough means doctors now have solid evidence supporting a preventive option that can give kids their childhood back.

When nearly half of young patients see their migraine frequency cut in half, that translates to more days at school, more time with friends, and more opportunities to just be kids. For parents who've felt helpless watching their children suffer, having a proven treatment option changes everything.

The study also sets a foundation for more pediatric migraine research, potentially opening doors to additional treatments tailored specifically for younger patients rather than simply adapting adult therapies.

Fewer missed school days, fewer emergency room visits, and more normal childhood experiences are now within reach for thousands of young migraine sufferers.