More children and adolescents in the U.S. are being prescribed multiple psychiatric drugs to treat problems like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, the New York Times reported Nov. 23.

"Sometimes, when you look at all the drugs they've taken, you wonder, 'Wow, did I really do this to my kids?'" said Tricia Kehoe of Sharpsville, Pa., who has two children on multiple psychiatric drugs. "But I've seen them without the meds, and there's a major difference."

Researchers say that while there is evidence that certain drugs are effective in treating mental-health problems in children and teens, evidence is lacking about the wisdom of prescribing multiple drugs to young patients. Yet an estimated 1.6 million kids have been prescribed a combination of psychiatric drugs; 160,000 were given four or more drugs at once.

"There are not any good scientific data to support the widespread use of these medicines in children, particularly in young children where the scientific data are even more scarce," said Thomas R. Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Many psychiatrists stand by the use of such drug cocktails, even though their use can cause major side effects. Stimulants like Ritalin are often paired with antidepressants, antipsychotics, or anticonvulsants. Side effects can include suicidal thoughts, liver and pancreas damage, rapid weight gain, and other complications.

Psychiatrists often turn to drug cocktails when one medication alone does not alleviate symptoms of depression, OCD, and bipolar disorder. Some studies have shown modest success with drug combinations among adults, but there are almost no studies focusing on children. "No one has been able to show that the benefits of these combinations outweigh the risks in children," said Dr. Daniel J. Safer of Johns Hopkins University.

Among parents interviewed for the article, there were some instances where children did better when taken off the drugs, but in more cases conditions worsened when medication was discontinued.