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Pica: Compulsive, Non-Nutritional Eating

A Voracious Appetite for Items Not Generally Considered Edible

© Jeannie Delahunt

Oct 28, 2008
Sand and Pebbles May be Eaten, Petr Kratochvil@publicdomainpictures.net
Dirt, sand, salt, buttons and other non-edibles are usually eaten with this disorder. There appear to be numerous underlying reasons for this bizarre, eating behavior.

Young children have a tendency to explore their new world by putting whatever they find in their hands, into their mouths. This is different from the eating disorder known as pica: "...which is characterized by persistent and compulsive cravings (lasting 1 month or longer) to eat nonfood items." [1]

Non-food items include " ...but [are] not limited to, clay, dirt, sand, stones, pebbles, hair, feces, lead, laundry starch, vinyl gloves, plastic, pencil erasers, ice, fingernails, paper, paint chips, coal, chalk, wood, plaster, light bulbs, needles, string, and burnt matches." [2]

Additional earmarks of the disorder:

  • Eating non-nutritive substances that are not appropriate for a certain age; and,
  • The substances are not associated with any form of religion or traditional/custom.

Suspected Reasons for this Condition

  • Iron and zinc deficiencies--however, the items eaten do not raise the levels of these substances;
  • People obsessed with dieting may ingest these items to feel full;
  • Severe levels of poor nutrition (clay or dirt may be eaten in an unconscious effort to rectify the situation);
  • Traditions where eating non-nutritious substances may be custom (eating dirt or clay in some spiritual beliefs empowers the individual);
  • Lack of adequate adult supervision or food supply (poverty, few resources);
  • Developmental disorders such as autism;
  • Brain trauma;
  • Some mental health issues such as schizophrenia; and,
  • Pregnancy.

Regarding pregnancy, women who engage in pica during pregnancy have generally been victims of it during their childhood and/or there is a genetic connection.

Dangers Associated with Pica

  • Chemical Poisoning from lead or other materials;
  • Organ problems from consuming items that the body's digestive systems cannot break down;
  • Piercing holes through the intestines from items that cannot easily pass through;
  • Harm to gums and teeth; and,
  • Invasion of unwanted organisms into the body's systems.

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

Since one of the aspects of pica is to eat paint chips, these may contain lead. However, symptoms of lead poisoning may not present until the levels of lead within the blood reach a critical level. The red flags for lead poisoning include:

  • "Bowel and stomach irritation;
  • "Feeling queasy, regurgitation;
  • "Consistent lack of energy...."[3]

More symptoms in the young:

  • "Irritability or aggressiveness;
  • "Hyperactivity, being easily distracted, impulsiveness; and,
  • "Learning problems...."[4]

Adult symptomatology:

  • "Irritability;
  • "Unexplained changes in mood or personality;
  • "Changes in sleep patterns;
  • "Inability to concentrate...and;
  • "Neurological symptoms...."[5]

If Pica is Suspected

Removing, discarding or securely relocating all potentially harmful substances would be the first course of action. Scheduling an appointment with the patient's primary care physician for screening and thorough evaluation is imperative.

Tests would probably include blood work to screen for deficiencies, x-rays to determine if anything harmful has been swallowed, perhaps toxicity screenings to scan for any ingested chemicals that may be harmful, and other screenings to scan for the presence of parasites.

Pica is treatable. Trained medical professionals and therapists have available resources.

Sources

[1] Pica

[2] Nonfood

[3,4,5]children.webmd.com, written for a website, no author or date.

Note to the reader: The information contained within this article is not designed to treat or diagnose a condition.


The copyright of the article Pica: Compulsive, Non-Nutritional Eating in Eating Disorders is owned by Jeannie Delahunt. Permission to republish Pica: Compulsive, Non-Nutritional Eating in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


Sand and Pebbles May be Eaten, Petr Kratochvil@publicdomainpictures.net
        


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Comments
Dec 4, 2008 7:15 PM
Guest :
My son is having a hard time in school focusing and concentrating, following directions because he is not focus on what the teacher is saying. At home he is irritable. If he wants quietness, he expects everyone to be quiet. He has a hard time getting along with his sister. He eats erasers, and I decided to search about erasers and harmful to health. I came up with this information: PICA Disorder. So now I am thinking is this what is going on with him, and how to learn more about it. Would I go to a MD for help or a nutrtionist? His school teacher, is concerned about him eating erasers and has talked to me several times about it. Would you be able to give me any help? thank you.
Dec 5, 2008 3:00 AM
Jeannie Delahunt :
Hello, thank you for writing. I don't know where you are writing from, but the general process is to first go to your family doctor. I suspect your son has a pediatrician? Some insurances will not cover expenses unless the primary care physician is contacted first.

Whatever is going on with your son may not be pica. My understanding of it, is, the eating is rather ravenous. Is there a lot of stress in the home? Are erasers the only item he is trying to consume? Make a list of what you are seeing, and ask the teacher to do the same so that when you do go to the doctors you have the information ready.

I hope this helps. My heart goes out to you! Let me know, OK?
Dec 9, 2008 10:11 PM
Guest :
I am a 48 year old female. As a small child I evidently ate sand. I have been chewing paper since childhood. I try to consciously not chew paper with inks but I have done so. I now tend to chew plain paper serviettes, or things like plastic straws. I notice that two of my teenage boys chew things too.I have tried to stop by substituting with chewing gum, but I prefer the harder texture of paper. I think my muscles of masticaion are extremely overdeveloped from the habit as a dentist mader a comment.I fear that I am poisoning my body with various substances not designed for ingestion. I have also fractured a molar with excessive clenching. Sometimes I choke on the non-food items I chew. My husband is sick of finding chewed up paper around the place. I try to dispose of it but as it is an unconscious habit, I often find myself doing it them quickly have to remove the item.It is very embarrassing if I meet someone and need to talk whist chewing on a wad of paper.Sometimes I inadvertently bite my tongue,of my teeth get caught in an abnormal occlusion as my chewing action is so strong. I tend to chew "stuff" excessively when I am stresses.The alovera tissues stopped me chewing them.
3 Comments
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