CHILDREN across East Lancashire are in a virtual coma during lessons because of prescription drugs aimed at curbing disruptive behaviour, a headteachers' representative warned today.

The claim came as it was revealed that prescriptions of drugs such as ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have gone up by as much as three and a half times since 2001.

It raised fears that children's behaviour was getting worse and the drugs were leaving some youngsters in "chemical handcuffs" after parents sought an excuse for their bad behaviour But doctors insisted that the increase in prescriptions was because parents were more aware of the disorder.

In 2001/02, there were 2,379 monthly prescriptions of drugs such as ritalin to East Lancashire children aged six to about 14. But this shot up to 6,064 by 2004/05.

The number of child users has gone up by 300, to 500, since 2001.

Les Turner, Lancashire secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, warned the drugs could have dangerous side effects.

He said: "Parents like to have a label to put on something that is affecting their children's education. It is almost as if it has become the flavour of the month.

"For some children it takes the edge off their bad behaviour and they can function in school and in some cases it goes too far and works as chemical handcuffs. They can go into a semi-comatose state."

Shadow spokesman for education on Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Sheila Williams, who was a teacher for 30 years, said: "There are children who are allowed to run wild by their parents and with some, I do not think it is ADHD at all but because they have been allowed to do what they want, when they want and to whom they want."

Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "I think a general lack of discipline can cause problems that aren't necessarily anything to do with physical problems."

The biggest increase in East Lancashire was in Blackburn with Darwen where prescriptions rose more than three-and-a-half times, from 462 in 2001/02 to 1,695 in 2004/05.

In Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale prescriptions more than doubled from 1,410 to 2,977.

And in Hyndburn and Ribble Valley the number of prescriptions shot up to 1,392 from 600.

Prescriptions are thought to vary throughout the UK, for example Huddersfield recorded a slight drop in 2004/05 while numbers more than doubled in Darlington, County Durham, to 1,290.

Dr Malcolm Ridgway, of Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, said: "There is a much greater awareness amongst patients' parents of the condition and the potential benefits of this treatment for children.

"The use of these drugs is strictly governed and only initiated on the advice of a paediatric consultant.

"Appropriately diagnosed and treated children usually do very well on medication. If the child does not have ADHD or another medical problem the family are given advice on appropriate parenting and activities to improve behaviour."