FOUR children have died after taking the controversial drug Ritalin, figures obtained by The Northern Echo show.

Campaigners last night called for an urgent investigation and demanded a review of prescription practices.

News of the deaths comes in the wake of our revelation that North-East children looking for a cocaine-like "high" are buying the drug in playgrounds from hyperactive schoolfriends who are prescribed it by their GPs.

Patient confidentiality means the children who died cannot be identified, but the Department of Health confirmed one child died earlier this year. The others were in 1997, 1998 and 2001.

Causes of death were recorded as enlargement of the heart, cardiac arrest, an accumulation of fluid on the brain and sarcoma, a malignant tumour of the connective tissue.

Overload Network, a charity for children with learning difficulties, is campaigning for a reduction in the use of Ritalin - also known as methylphenidate to treat youngsters with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Director Janice Hill said parents are alarmed that the drug, licensed only for children aged over six, is being prescribed by psychiatrists and doctors for those as young as two.

Ms Hill's organisation is demanding a ban on prescribing psychiatric drugs to under-sixes, and last night she appealed for the parents of the dead children to come forward for support.

"This is a public health scandal," she said. "The public get scant information about their short and long-term side effects and cannot, therefore, give their informed consent."

But Cephalon, which distributes Ritalin in the UK, said it has been used safely and effectively worldwide for more than 40 years, and had been the subject of 170 studies.

The company said: "The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has clearly recognised the evidence demonstrating the value of Ritalin in managing the symptoms of ADHD, allowing children to improve their relationships both at home and at school.

"The most common side effects are nervousness, insomnia, and decreased appetite.

"However, these side effects can often be controlled through reduced dosage, and adjusting the timing of the medication. Any parents who are concerned should consult their family doctor."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "A total of 310 reports of suspected adverse drug reaction have been received in association with methylphenidate in the UK. Of these reports, four had a fatal outcome."

Dr David Healy, director of the North Wales department of psychological medicine, who recently highlighted the dangers of adult anti-depressants, said: "There is a general lack of disclosure about the hazards of giving psychotropic drugs in general to children."