Eating strange things!

Q: I heard that a little boy next door eats all sorts of strange things. Why would he do that?

A: This sounds like a disorder called Pica but little research has been done on it to understand it. Sometimes, we see a person doing something out of the ordinary and we think they are just being stupid or even disgusting. However for every behavior there is almost always an answer as to why someone is doing it. It can be difficult to understand many behaviors and thought processes that we might see throughout our lives but we must remember that for every thought or action there is something causing it.

                Eating strange things is called Pica. It comes from the Latin word for “magpie” which is a bird that is known to eat almost anything. Today, what can be classified as pica behavior can also be normal practice in some cultures as part of magical beliefs, healing methods, or religious ceremonies.

                Pica is the eating of substances with very little or no nutritional value. They can be things such as soil, chalk, clay, rocks, animal feces, glass, ice, hair, wool, urine, wood or paper, paint or plaster. For these actions to be considered pica, they must continue for more than one month at an age where eating such objects is considered developmentally inappropriate. Pica is seen more in young children than adults and it is thought that between 10% and 32% of children ages 1 - 6 have these behaviors.

What causes Pica?

                             Stressors such as maternal deprivation, family issues, parental neglect, pregnancy, poverty, and a disorganized family structure are strongly linked to pica.

                             Research suggests that pica may be caused by mineral deficiency in many cases. Often the substance eaten by someone with pica contains the mineral in which that individual is deficient. Pica is currently recognized as a mental disorder by the widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and is usually a temporary condition that improves as kids get older or following pregnancy. But for individuals with developmental or mental health issues, pica can be a more prolonged concern. Individuals with autism, schizophrenia, and certain physical disorders, may also eat substances with no nutrition value.

                      The specific causes of pica are unknown, but certain conditions and situations can increase a person's risk:

       nutritional deficiencies, such as iron or zinc, that may trigger specific cravings (however, the nonfood items craved usually don't supply the minerals lacking in the person's body)

       dieting — people who diet may attempt to ease hunger by eating nonfood substances to get a feeling of fullness

       malnutrition, especially in underdeveloped countries, where people with pica most commonly eat soil or clay

       cultural factors — in families, religions, or groups in which eating nonfood substances is a learned practice

       parental neglect, lack of supervision, or food deprivation — often seen in children living in poverty

       developmental problems, such as mental retardation, autism, other developmental disabilities, or brain abnormalities

       mental health conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia

       pregnancy, but it's been suggested that pica during pregnancy occurs more frequently in women who exhibited similar practices during their childhood or before pregnancy or who have a history of pica in their family

There is no single test that confirms pica. However, because pica can occur in people who have lower than normal nutrient levels and poor nutrition (malnutrition), the health care provider should test blood levels of iron and zinc. Hemoglobin can also be checked to test for anemia. Lead levels should always be checked in children who may have eaten paint or objects covered in lead-paint dust. The health care provider should test for infection if the person has been eating contaminated soil or animal waste.

In many cases, the disorder lasts several months, then disappears on its own. In some cases, it may continue into the teen years or adulthood, especially when it occurs with developmental disorders.