Pica is
an eating disorder in which a person eats things that aren't food and have no
nutritional value regularly. The behavior has been going on for at least a
month and is severe enough to require medical treatment.
What Do
Pica Patients Eat?
Non-food
items commonly consumed by people with pica (both children and adults) include:
● Dirt
● Paper
● Clay
● Animals'
Excrement
● Chips
of Ice Paint
● Sand
● Hair
● Chalk
● Grass
or Plants
● Butts
for Cigarettes.
● Rocks
● Toys
are a type of Entertainment (such as Lego bricks).
● Rubber
Bands are a type of elastic.
● Shampoo
● A
String of Wool, Talcum Powder, and Cloth
● Gum
Symptoms:
1. The
most common symptom of pica is the devouring of non-food objects.
2. Pica
is distinct from the common practice of newborns and small children putting
objects in their mouths. Pica patients will make repeated attempts to devour
non-food objects. Eating is more than just sampling or experimenting with new
things.
3. Patients
may also experience a variety of additional symptoms, including:
● Stomach
ache due to broken or damaged teeth
● Lead
poisoning with bloody stools
Causes:
Pica can
cause vitamin deficiencies in some people. Pica individuals, for example, might
just have low iron, hematocrit, or hemoglobin levels. Pica, according to some
experts, is the body's way of compensating for the nutrients it is missing.
Although
the specific etiology of pica is unknown, researchers do know that certain
factors put a person at a higher risk of acquiring it. Among them are:
1. Autism
spectrum disorder, as well as other developmental and intellectual issues, are
examples of developmental and intellectual issues.
2. Schizophrenia
and obsessive-compulsive disorder are examples of mental illnesses.
3. Low
levels of minerals such as iron and zinc might cause specific types of cravings
in those who are malnourished or hungry.
4. Stress,
such as that experienced by children who have been abused or neglected, or
those who live in extreme poverty,
5. Women
who are pregnant want dirt on rare occasions throughout the pregnancy, which
could be related to an iron shortage.
Treatment:
Pica can
cause lead poisoning, infections, and other serious symptoms in certain people.
Antibiotics or even surgery may be used to treat these conditions.
A doctor
must first determine why a person seeks non-food items before treating pica.
This usually entails looking over their medical history to figure out if they
have any symptoms or risk factors. Blood testing may also be used to assess
dietary deficiencies.
A doctor
may also consider:
● Eating
non-food objects, for example, is an example of sensory-seeking habits.
● Whether
or not a person realizes that these goods are non-edible, cultural views about
non-edible objects play a role.
● Taking
care of these concerns could help a person's cravings go away.
Pica can
be treated in a variety of ways, including:
● If
nutrient deficiencies are present, occupational therapy sensory support, such
as providing a safer item to chew on, medicine to address underlying mental health
disorders, if present, lowering nutrient deficits with supplements, dietary
changes, or both
● Pica
may go away on its own after childbirth in pregnant women.
People
also read: Are You a Patient of Binge Eating Disorder (BED)? Easy Ways of Treatment | Don’t Need to Worry
This article is written by Rameen Mazhar, one of the contributors at the School of Literature.
