![]() ![]() Among individuals with intellectual disability, Pica is the most common eating disorder, where the risk and severity of Pica increases with the severity of the delay. Children with an intellectual disability and autism are affected more frequently than children without these conditions. Although prevalence rates vary depending on the definition of Pica, the characteristics of the population sampled, and the methods used for data collection, Pica is reported most commonly in children and in individuals with mental and developmental delays. (United States): Prevalence of Pica is limited because the disorder often is unrecognized and underreported. Some children require behavioural intervention and families may need to work with a psychologist or other mental health professional. The doctor will also work with you to find ways to restrict the non-food items your child craves (e.g., using child-safety locks, high shelving, and keeping medications out of reach). The child’s family doctor or paediatrician will play an important role in helping parents manage and prevent pica-related behaviours and in educating parents to teach children about acceptable and unacceptable food substances. To receive a diagnosis of Pica Disorder the individual must have a primary diagnosis. Pica is then discovered during diagnosis and treatment. Typically, a person with Pica is referred to a physician for some other condition that is linked to Pica, like iron deficiency, anemia, lead poisoning, or malnutrition. Pica becomes less prevalent as children grow older, and most adult cases are found in individuals with an intellectual disability. Other at-risk groups include pregnant women, dieters, individuals who are malnourished, people who have epilepsy, and children who experience neglect, lack of supervision, and insufficient food and nutrition.Ĭhildren who have had a brain injury also may develop the condition. People with mental health issues such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia and nutritional deficiencies also are at increased risk. Individuals with developmental disabilities have an increased chance of the condition. ![]() Young children with Pica are most likely to eat paint, plaster, string, hair, and cloth, while older children are more likely to consume animal droppings, sand, insects, leaves, rocks, and cigarette butts. ![]() Some research indicates that 25-33 percent of young children have Pica Disorder at some point. Further, it must not be approved or encouraged by the child’s culture. This behaviour must be inappropriate for the child’s stage of development. The mental health professionals’ handbook, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, text revision (2013), which is abbreviated as DSM-5, classifies Pica under the heading of “Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy or Early Childhood.” A diagnosis of Pica Disorder requires that the individual must persist in eating non-food substances for at least one month. The word “pica” is derived from the Latin word for magpie, a species of bird that feeds on whatever it encounters. Although it varies, most children generally lose the desire to put things in their mouths around age two. This is considered developmentally appropriate for their age. Very young children are not able to look at an object and determine if it is edible, so they give things they are interested in the “taste test.” Eventually, through their own development and trial and error, most children begin to discriminate between food and inedible objects and find other ways to explore and satisfy their curiosity.Ĭhildren younger than age two, especially those who are teething, will chew on non-food items and may try to eat them. Pica is prevalent among individuals having developmental disorders including autism, individuals with an intellectual disability, and among young children age two to three years. Some children, especially preschool children, exhibit Pica. Pica (Disorder) is the craving to eat non-food items, such as dirt, paint chips, and clay. ![]()
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