Butalbital and Pediatric Headache: Stay off the Downward Path

Despite limited evidence from the literature surrounding safety or efficacy, butalbital‐containing medicines ( BCM s) have maintained their rank as “go‐to” prescribed migraine and headache relief drugs in the U nited S tates, despite bans on these barbiturates in G ermany and other E uropean countries. Providers at the P ediatric H eadache P rogram at B oston C hildren's H ospital recommend that clinicians prescribe triptan‐based medications instead of BCM s, given the known negative side effects of BCM s on the general population, and the uncertain longitudinal trajectory of BCM s on developing brains.