Follow this with positive reinforcement for avoiding the behavior, such as stickers for a child or verbal praise for an adult. Psychiatric medications: Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - which is a class of antidepressants - may be used for treating pica symptoms.įood replacements: Develop a habit of replacing non-food items with food items. Removal of non-food substances: Removing non-food items from the surrounding environment can help prevent pica symptoms. Iron and zinc nutritional supplements: Restoring a normal level of these substances in the body can limit how often a person with pica eats non-food objects. For people who continue to experience symptoms month after month, treatment may help. But given these are only a small number of case reports, it is hard to know if this association exists. There are some case reports that suggest eating non-food items (like clay) may affect a growing fetus, and cause harmful neurological effects and motor function delay.

Iron deficiency, which may not only be a cause of pica, but can also develop (or worsen) in someone with the condition Lead poisoning, which can result from eating paint chips or large amounts of clay that contain lead Intestinal infection, particularly with items like dirt, clay, or feces that contain worms or parasitesĭiarrhea or constipation, because non-food items are more difficult for the body to break down and digest Mouth or teeth injuries from chewing on or eating non-food objectsīowel obstruction, which is a blockage in the intestines caused by a buildup of the non-food substance But there also may be some physical problems, including:

Pica can lead to a lot of mental and emotional distress. But in order to be diagnosed with pica, someone must repeat the behavior for at least 1 month. The pattern of consumption may vary from person to person. People with pica eat non-food items, such as: What eating behaviors are associated with pica? In children, pica is more common if they have experienced abuse or neglect. Low socioeconomic status, which is a known source of stress, has also been associated with pica. People with pica have reported that eating non-food items can help lessen feelings of anxiety and stress. Some people think pica may be linked to stress, too. Memory loss or injury to parts of the brain responsible for memory Intellectual disability or other mental health conditions Some factors that may lead to pica include: Still, experts aren’t exactly sure what changes in the brain lead to the behavior. In other cases, pica has been linked to cognitive and mental health conditions. But there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. This is because non-food items may bind harmful substances in the digestive tract. Others think it is because pregnancy raises the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia.Īnother theory is that the pregnant body may crave non-food items as a method of protection. Some think it is because women have more nutritional needs during pregnancy. But again, experts aren’t quite sure why this happens. Women who are pregnant are also at higher risk of developing pica. This can further lower the amount of iron in the body, which then worsens the underlying problem. It is thought that the lack of iron in the brain causes someone to eat non-food substances. In some cases, pica is thought to be caused by a nutritional deficiency like low iron. For others, it is attributed to other coexisting conditions. For some people, it seems to be a condition that stands on its own without any obvious cause. There is a lot we still don’t understand about pica and why it happens. We’ll explain what is known (and unknown) about pica, how it can lead to some medical problems, and how it is treated. People can develop this behavior for a number of different reasons. They can also be non-food items, like paper or baby powder. They can be food-related materials, like eggshells or coffee grounds. It is when someone continues to eat something that is not considered a social norm. But pica, as a health condition, is a little different. It is common to see a young child put things in their mouth, like toys, dirt, or sand. Someone with pica disorder eats items that are not considered to be food.

Pica syndrome first discover