1. क्या आपका बच्चा
मिट्टी, चॉक, पेंमिल,
खाता है ?
DR VIJAY KUMAR PATHAK
MD (Ayu. Pediatrics)
Specialized in Cerebral Palsy, Autism,
Developmental disorders
PICA
2. INTRODUCTION
• Pica is the eating things that are not
food.
• Pica may lead to intoxication in
children, which can result in an
impairment of both physical and
mental development.
• It can cause surgical emergencies to
address intestinal obstructions.
• Pica has been linked to other mental
disorders. Stressors such as
psychological trauma, maternal
deprivation, family issues etc.
3. DIAGNOSIS
The DSM-5 posits four criteria that must be met for a
person to be diagnosed with pica:
1. Person must have been eating non-nutritive
nonfoods for at least one month.
2. This eating must be considered abnormal for the
person's stage of development.
3. Eating these substances cannot be associated with a
cultural practice that is considered normal in the
social context of the individual.
4. For people who currently have a medical condition
(e.g.: pregnancy) or a mental disorder (e.g.: autism
spectrum disorder), the action of eating non-nutritive
nonfoods should only be considered pica if it is
dangerous and requires extra medical investigation
or treatment on top of what they are already
receiving for their pre-existing condition.
4. CAUSES
• People practicing forms of pica, such as geophagy,
pagophagy, and amylophagy, are more likely to be
anemic or to have low hemoglobin concentration in
their blood, lower levels of red blood cells
(hematocrit), or lower plasma zinc levels.
• Additionally, children and pregnant women may be
more likely to have anemia or low hemoglobin
relative to the general population.
• Mental health conditions such as obsessive–
compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia have
been proposed as causes of pica.
5. TREATMENT
• Iron deficiency may be treatable through iron supplements
or through dietary changes.
• For pica that appears to be of psychogenic cause, therapy
and medication such as SSRIs have been used successfully.
• If their pica is a result of obtaining a favorite item, a strategy
may be used without eating inedible items.
• If pica is a way for a person to escape an activity or
situation, the reason why the person wants to escape the
activity should be examined and the person should be
moved to a new situation.
