The nature of ingested items is variable, including but not limited to earth (geophagy), raw starches (amylophagy), ice (pagophagia), charcoal, ash, paper, chalk, cloth, baby powder, coffee grounds, and eggshells. For diagnosis, the behavior must persist for at least one month, not be in keeping with the child's developmental stage (and age cut off of 24 months or more is suggested by DSM V), and not be socially normative or culturally acceptable behavior. The term is derived from "pica-pica," the Latin word for the magpie bird, because of the bird's indiscriminate gathering and eating a variety of objects for the sake of curiosity.
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‘Scientists in the autism community have developed several different effective interventions, including redirecting the person’s attention away from the desired object and rewarding them for discarding or setting down the non-food item.The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines pica as eating nonnutritive, nonfood substances over a period of at least one month. If the behaviours aren’t caused by malnutrition or don’t stop after nutritional treatment, a variety of behavioral interventions are available. The National Eating Disorders Association states: ‘In many cases, concerning eating behaviors disappear as deficiencies are corrected. The first line of treatment will generally involve testing for mineral or nutrient deficiencies and correcting those. If you or a loved one are suffering from the syndrome, it is important that you go to the doctor ASAP, and don’t wait until something goes medically wrong. The percentage of people who have it is not yet known, as different researchers may use different definitions of pica, leading to some confusion.’ ‘In some cases, people with pica have been found to be deficient in certain minerals or vitamins, but this is often not the case. Symptoms include craving to consume substances that aren’t supposed to be eaten, actually eating those things and developing a physical illness as a result of eating harmful substances.īeat says: ‘The reasons that people develop pica are not yet clear, although several scientists have linked it to the nervous system, and have understood it as a learned behaviour or coping mechanism. If you are worried that you or someone you love has pica, there are some signs to look out for. People with the disorder don’t usually avoid other food, so they’ll still be getting all the nutrients they need, and nobody would suspect a thing.īut some non-food items they consume can be incredibly dangerous, especially if eaten in large amounts. However, pica can be hard to diagnose – because it’s often hidden. Often, treating these issues with medication or vitamins resolves the problem. In these people, pica is a sign that the body is trying to correct a significant nutrient deficiency. It’s can also affect people with other conditions associated with impaired functioning, such as an intellectual disability, autism and schizophrenia.Īccording to The National Eating Disorders Association, iron-deficiency anaemia and malnutrition are two of the most common causes of pica, followed by pregnancy.
Pica affects people of all genders and ages, though it is most likely to first appear in children, and can occur alongside other illnesses such as eating disorders.
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In fact, often pica is not revealed until medical problems happen, such as metal toxicity, cracked teeth, or infections. It is common for babies to put objects in their mouths which can lead to them accidentally eating substances that aren’t meant to be eaten. To receive a diagnosis of pica, the behaviour must be present for at least one month, according to Beat.Ī pica diagnosis is not given if eating something is part of a cultural practice, or if is developmentally inappropriate – for example, it’s generally not diagnosed in children under the age of two. But if you’re drawn to eating these sort of items, you may be given the diagnosis. It’s not uncommon to fancy eating some ice – and this usually signifies you’re lacking in iron. Most commonly, this includes paper, soap, paint, chalk or ice. Pica is a feeding disorder in which someone eats non-edible items that have no nutritional value. It’s not totally unusual to crave certain smells or wonder what a non-edible item tastes like.īut if you’re feeding on non-food substances, you may be suffering from pica syndrome.
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