Six times more children in the U.S. than in the U.K. are prescribed anti-psychotic medicines, according to a study made in the U.K., which is to be released Monday in the May edition of the journal Pediatrics.

It is not that important that in the U.S. the rate is higher, but that it’s going up on both sides of the Atlantic.

In 1992, four per 10.000 children used anti-psychotics and by 2005 the figure increased to a rate of seven per 10.000 in the U.K. In comparison to that and maintaining the proportions, in the U.S. the rate advanced from 23 in 1996 to 45 in 2001, as the Associated Press informs.

"The more important question is whether or not the right kids are getting the most appropriate and effective treatment possible," said David Fassler, a University of Vermont psychiatry professor, cited by New York Daily News.

Among the most frequently prescribed drugs are those used to treat autism and hyperactivity in attention deficit disorder. Their side effects are usually nervous-system problems, heart trouble, somnolence and weight gain.

Researchers inform that this is an alarming situation, taking into consideration the fact that most of these drugs are not officially approved for kids. "This highlights the need for long-term safety investigations and ongoing clinical monitoring, particularly if the prescribing rate of these medicines continues to rise," the study authors said, as quoted by the AP.