PICA Disorder

 

for those who don't know what PICA mean..its an eating disorder people that have that eat stuff thats not food.like,glass,dirt,clothes,paper,corn starch etc...like me i used to eat starch but thank God i dont do it anymore

Pica: The Eating Disorder That's Not About Food

People who have non-food cravings — the need to ingest chalk, pebbles, wire, and the like — may have an eating disorder called pica. Yes, it can cause gastrointestinal problems, and yes, it is treatable.

Pica: Who Is Affected?

This non-food cravings eating disorder can be found in 10 percent to 32 percent of children between the ages of 1 and 6, according to the National Library of Medicine. These youngsters will eat paint, plaster, string, hair, and cloth. Older children consume anything from animal droppings, sand, and insects to leaves, pebbles, and cigarette butts. Teens and adults most commonly eat clay or soil, though people have been found to ingest lead, laundry starch, plastic, pencil erasers, ice, fingernails, paper, coal, chalk, wood, plaster, light bulbs, needles, string, and wire

 

Pica: The Symptoms

Symptoms of pica are generally related to what’s been ingested. These substances may contain poisons, toxic chemicals, or bacteria.

Once eaten, they can damage the gastrointestinal tract, and that can result in bowel problems, ulcerations, perforations, or obstructions, says Lugerner.

Pica: The Treatment

Certain tests can be a good start toward determining treatment, including hemoglobin to check for anemia, lead levels if paint or objects coated with lead paint have been consumed, and gastrointestinal tests to rule out infection in the case of soil or animal waste being ingested. As a first step, treatment should replace missing nutrients if applicable and address any other health issues.