According to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), the anti-depressant drug, Prozac, may be prescribed for children as young as eight.

The Agency believes that in preteens afflicted with severe depression and which do not respond to therapy, 10mg of the drug will prove useful.

According to Avis Johns, director of the charity, Young Minds, explains, "The impact of severe depression on the child, their family and wider community can be devastating."

"Though quite rare, the ability to combine a range of therapies with appropriate medication can provide significant benefits and should therefore be welcomed."

According to the BBC, Prozac, or fluoxetine, was developed by Eli Lilly and Co but is now widely available in generic versions. It is one of a class of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).