What Is Pica Caused By?

What causes pica?

There's no single cause of pica

. In some cases, a deficiency in iron, zinc, or another nutrient may be associated with pica. For example, anemia, usually from iron deficiency, may be the underlying cause of pica in pregnant women.

What are the 2 most common causes of pica?

Iron-deficiency anemia and malnutrition

are two of the most common causes of pica, followed by pregnancy. In these individuals, pica is a sign that the body is trying to correct a significant nutrient deficiency. Treating this deficiency with medication or vitamins often resolves the problems.

What are the signs of pica?

• Nausea.
• Pain in the stomach (or abdominal cramping which can indicate that there may be an intestinal blockage)
• Constipation.
• Diarrhea.
• Stomach ulcers (which may cause blood in the stools)
• Symptoms of lead poisoning (if paint chips that contain lead are ingested)

What are some causes of pica?

• pregnancy.
• developmental conditions, such as autism or intellectual disabilities.
• mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia.
• cultural norms that view certain nonfood substances as sacred or as having healing properties.
• malnourishment, especially iron-deficiency anemia.

How do you reduce pica?

Can Pica Be Prevented?

There is no specific way to prevent pica

. However, careful attention to eating habits and close supervision of children known to put things in their mouths may help catch the disorder before complications can occur.

Is pica an anxiety disorder?

Often, people with pica also have other mental health disorders, including schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In addition, pica symptoms sometimes increase when an individual is experiencing

extreme stress and anxiety

. Many pica eating disorders begin in childhood and relate to childhood experiences.

Is pica a form of autism?

“Pica, a

potentially life-threatening disorder

, is common in children with autism or intellectual disability.

What happens if pica is left untreated?

Even though pica disorder can be hard to detect in some individuals, it poses serious threats that

could prove fatal

if left untreated. Substances ingested could be poisonous, contain toxic chemicals, or be ridden with bacteria.

How common is pica in adults?

Pica in

adults is not very common

. However, it can be seen in many cultures and may even be encouraged to increase fertility.

Is eating ice considered pica?

Doctors use the term “pica” to describe

craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value

— such as ice, clay, soil or paper. Craving and chewing ice (pagophagia) is often associated with iron deficiency, with or without anemia, although the reason is unclear.

What does pica stand for?

Pica (/ˈpaɪkə/ PIE-kuh) is a

psychological disorder characterized by an appetite

for substances that are largely non-nutritive. The substance may be biological such as hair (trichophagia) or feces (coprophagia), natural such as ice (pagophagia) or dirt (geophagia), and otherwise chemical or manmade (as listed below).

What are the complications of pica?

Complications of pica include:

inherent toxicity

; intestinal obstruction (such as that occurring with trichophagia, or hair eating); excessive caloric intake (such as that occurring with starch); nutritional deprivation; parasitic infections; and dental injury.

What does pica mean?

Pica:

A craving for something that is not normally regarded as nutritive

, such as dirt, clay, paper, or chalk. Pica is a classic clue to iron deficiency in children, and it may also occur with zinc deficiency.

Does pica go away?

In children and pregnant women, pica often goes away in a few months without treatment. If a nutritional deficiency is causing your pica, treating it should ease your symptoms.

Pica doesn't always go away

. It can last for years, especially in people who have intellectual disabilities.

How can I satisfy pica cravings?

1. Inform your health care provider and review your prenatal health records.
2. Monitor your iron status along with other vitamin and mineral intake.
3. Consider potential substitutes for the cravings such as chewing sugarless gum.

How can I help someone with pica?

1. nutritional supplementation.
2. approaches such as redirecting – encouraging the person to throw the item away instead.
3. restricting access to harmful pica items.
4. promoting self-soothing behaviour.
5. making the environment ‘pica-safe'
6. replacing pica items with similar, safe alternatives (Matson et al, 2013).