Transcranial magnetic stimulation, often called TMS, is a noninvasive therapy that uses gentle magnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the brain. These areas are involved in mood, thinking and behavior.
During TMS, magnetic pulses pass through the scalp and skull without surgery or needles. Your child or teen stays awake and alert the entire time. No anesthesia is needed. Patients return to their usual activities right after treatment.
TMS is given through devices that are cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression in teens. Research on how TMS may help children and teens continues to grow and has shown safety and effectiveness.
TMS is considered when mental health treatments such as medications and therapies have not helped enough or when patients cannot tolerate the side effects from medications.
There is a lot of evidence that TMS helps pediatric patients with depression. Researchers continue to learn more about how TMS may help children and teens. There is growing research focused on safety and outcomes. Studies suggest it may help some young people with other mental health conditions, too. These include obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and smoking cessation, though it is not yet FDA-cleared for this purpose.
When TMS is considered for children and teens, care teams follow strict safety guidelines. These are designed to protect the developing brain. Before treatment begins, clinicians do detailed medical and psychological screenings. During treatment, doctors carefully adjust the treatment settings for younger patients. The child is watched very closely. Families are kept updated every step of the way. The care plan is changed as needed to make sure the child is comfortable and doing well.
TMS can affect people in different ways, and each patient’s response is unique. Some patients begin to notice changes in symptoms within a couple of weeks. Others may need to complete a full course of treatment before seeing improvement. A treatment course lasts three to six weeks.
To measure success, providers look at both symptom reduction and complete symptom relief (called remission). In teens, response rates range from about 59% to 78%, and remission rates range from 36% to 48%.
TMS continues to work even after sessions end. Benefits may last months. Some patients may return for booster TMS sessions if symptoms return.
TMS works differently from many antidepressant medicines because it targets specific areas of the brain rather than affecting the whole body. As a result, it does not cause side effects such as weight gain or sleepiness.
TMS is also different from electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It does not require anesthesia and does not induce a seizure.
TMS uses magnetic pulses to create small electrical signals in specific nerve cells in the brain. These pulses safely pass through the skull. They don’t cause pain or damage.
Providers often focus on the prefrontal cortex (area located just behind the forehead). This area of the brain plays a key role in mood, focus and decision-making. Depending on how the treatment is delivered, TMS can either:
With repeated sessions, this may help the brain's pathways work in a healthier, more balanced way.
TMS therapy comes in a few different forms. They all use magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain, but they differ in:
The type used is chosen based on each child’s diagnosis, symptoms and treatment goals. They include:
TMS is most often used to treat depression when other treatments have not helped enough. TMS is given through FDA-cleared devices for major depressive disorder (MDD) in teens ages 15 years and older.
In adults 18 years and older, TMS is given through FDA-cleared devices to treat MDD. It can also treat anxious depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), migraine and smoking cessation.
Researchers are also studying how TMS may help children and teens with other mental health conditions. These include OCD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
In studies of children and teens with ASD, TMS has shown early promise in:
This research is still ongoing, and TMS is not yet approved for this use.
Research in younger patients across all these conditions focuses on safety, comfort and long-term outcomes.
A child or teen may be considered for TMS when medicines have not helped enough or have caused side effects that are hard to manage.
TMS may not be right for every patient. Certain factors may make TMS less appropriate or require extra precautions. These include:
If any of these apply to a patient, it does not automatically rule out TMS, but it does mean the team will take extra care in reviewing whether it is safe and appropriate.
Before starting TMS, patients complete a mental health evaluation to confirm the diagnosis and treatment goals.
If TMS is recommended, a noninvasive brain mapping session helps find the correct treatment area. This is done by placing a special cap on the patient’s head that delivers magnetic pulses while also using imaging. Insurance approval may be needed before starting care.
A typical TMS session lasts 10 to 40 minutes, five days a week. The patient sits in a comfortable chair and stays awake. They must wear earplugs for hearing protection and remove all metal objects such as eyeglasses. A special coil is pressed against their skull to give the magnetic pulses to the brain. During treatment, they may feel a tapping or clicking sensation on the scalp, which some children describe as uncomfortable but manageable.
The most common TMS side effects include scalp discomfort and headache. Most headaches are brief and go away. Some patients may also notice brief facial muscle twitching during treatment. These effects are usually mild and tend to improve as treatment continues.
More serious risks, such as seizures, are rare. Hearing discomfort can happen if proper ear protection is not used. Care teams take steps to reduce risks and monitor patients closely throughout treatment.
Current research supports the long-term safety of TMS when treatment guidelines are followed.
Most patients can continue school, work and daily activities during treatment. Life outside of appointments usually does not need to change.
Some patients may benefit from maintenance or booster sessions yearly after the original course is completed. Ongoing therapy, medicine and healthy routines can help reduce the chance of symptoms returning.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive, outpatient procedure used to treat certain mental health conditions such as treatment-resistant depression.
Studies show TMS results in significant improvements in depression symptoms for children and teens.
TMS feels like rhythmic tapping or knocking on the scalp.
Most patients say TMS is uncomfortable rather than painful. The sensation often becomes easier over time.
Results vary by patient. Some people feel better for months or longer.
Some patients may need less medicine after TMS. Others continue medicine as part of their care plan.
When done by trained providers, TMS is considered safe and well tolerated.
Some patients notice changes within two to four weeks. Others improve later in the treatment course.
Our pediatric psychiatry experts use the most advanced, effective, and evidence-based approaches to treat the full spectrum of child and adolescent mental and behavioral health problems. The collaborative care team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, advanced practice registered nurses, social workers, and clinical counselors.
Last Updated 04/2026
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