Pica(compulsive eating disorder) and how it can be treated?
What is pica? Pica is a persistent eating disorder in which children tend to eat things that they shouldn't be eating. like soil, clay, chalk, cement, and paint chips most commonly. It usually starts in childhood and ends usually after a few months. In some cases, the children do eat cigarette ashes, pencil’s graphite, feces, ice, hair, glue, and sometimes insects too. Pica can also be seen in pregnant women but it’s rare. In this situation pregnant women do yearn for non-edible things like eating clay, dirt, and raw rice. It happens because pregnant women develop a deficiency of iron and zinc during the gestation period leading to pica. Causes: Pica does occur in peoples having Low amount of iron and zinc in the body Autism ( detrimental developmental deprivation particularly affecting social interaction and verbal or non-verbal communication) Mental health disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder ( OCD) or psychotic disorders Children who are subjec