Transcript Pica - Dublin City Schools

Pica and Related
Disorders
By: Rhonda Barlow-Glynn County
Pica
 AN EATING DISORDER IN WHICH NON-
NUTRITIONAL OBJECTS ARE EATEN
 COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD FOR
MAGPIE- A BIRD WHICH WILL EAT
ANYTHING
Most Prevalent In
Children ages 1-6
Pregnant women
Certain cultures
Mentally deficient
Persons with Pica Tend to Eat
 Clay
 Dirt
 Animal Feces
 Chalk
 Ice
 Hairballs
 Paint or Paint chips
 Sand
Possible Causes
 Nutrient deficiencies- especially iron
and zinc
 Stress
 OCD- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
 Developmental disorders
 Mental disorders
Treatment
Begins with checking for and
correcting nutrient
deficiencies.
May need to include behavioral
or emotional treatments.
Amylophagia
Eating purified starch (laundry or
cornstarch)
Cause-usually due to a lack of iron
or zinc.
Most Prevalent In
 Pregnant Women
 African American Women
 Children under three
 Persons with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder)
 Certain cultures or religious traditions
 Those with mental disabilities
Complications
Iron deficiency anemia
Infection
Malnutrition
A hard mass could develop in
the abdomen
Geophagia
 Eating earth or soil like substances such as
clay or chalk.
 Causes:
 Usually
due to inadequate diet
 Mineral deficiency
 May be part of a cultural tradition
Most Prevalent In
 Africa- Pregnant women eat clay to relieve
nausea and provide calcium.
 Haiti- Clay is made into cookies called “bon
bon de terres” in an attempt to supplement
the diet when there is little food.
Pagophagia
 Excessive eating of ice
 Causes:
 Iron
deficiency anemia
 Low zinc
 Ice may relieve pain due to Glossitis
 Glossitis
is inflammation of the tongue due to iron
deficiency anemia.
Treatment
Check for and treat iron
deficiency anemia and/or low
zinc levels.
Plumbism
Lead poisoning due to the
consumption of lead paint
May Cause
 In children:
 Anemia
 Severe
stomachache
 Muscle weakness
 Brain damage
 In adults:
 Infertility
 Increased blood
pressure
 Nerve disorders
 Muscle/joint pain