Pica - What is it?

What kinds of things do they eat?

People with pica disorder eat things such as chalk, cigarette butts, clay, dirt, hair, feces, lead, plastic, pencil erasers, light bulbs, string, needles, stones and other substances. The danger is pretty obvious here, just in this small sampling of things you eat. Imagine what a needle will do to your digestive tract. Unfortunately, ingestion can include poisonous substances (like lead, for instance) and ends up being deadly.

Who develops this disorder?

This disorder is most common in children and in those with developmental disabilities. Sometimes it is seen in pregnant women. Sure, most kids try dirt or chalk or nibble on a pencil eraser. But they don't keep doing it.

You can read more about the nonnutritive substances typically ingested in the symptoms of eating disorders section.

1. Persistent eating of nonnutritive substances for a period of at least one month.
2. The eating of nonnutritive substances is inappropriate to the developmental level.
3. The eating behavior is not part of a culturally sanctioned practice.
4. If the eating behavior occurs exclusively during the course of another mental disorder (e.g., Mental Retardation, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia), it is sufficiently severe to warrant independent clinical attention.

Go from Pica back to Types of Eating Disorders

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