Antidepressants prescribed for children are ineffective and may cause serious harm, including suicide attempts, a major review shows.

The findings had "disturbing implications" for treating major depression in children, warns an Australian psychiatrist, as the use of antidepressants and antipsychotics continues to rise among children as young as two years old.

The risks outweighed the potential benefits of antidepressant use for children for 13 out of 14 antidepressants prescribed to children and teenagers, with only fluoxetine (Prozac) well tolerated, the analysis of 34 clinical trials involving 5260 patients found.

The drug venlafaxine (Efexor) was linked with an increased risk of patients experiencing suicidal thought and suicide attempts compared with a placebo, found the most comprehensive review of medications to treat major depression in children and teenager.