Is Your Child Eating Chalk Or Drywall? He/She Might Be Suffering From The Disease (Pica)

People in the world are now suffering from various kinds of diseases. Some are serious, and some are normal. All the people of these worlds have been suffering from a lot of conditions regularly. Some of these diseases are depended on our immune system, but some are mental diseases that have no connection with the immune system, and it is different. Those people who have mental disorders or illnesses are very much neglected in our society and lead a totally unstandardized life. But it is not the right thing we are doing. We should support them and behave naturally with them as they are also a part of our society.

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What is Pica?

Pica is the name of a disease that is known as one kind of mental disorder. While suffering from this disease, people eat those things which are generally not considered typical food. Basically, young children suffer from this disease most. Sometimes they eat non-food items like chalks, drywalls, or toys and after a long time, eating these things becomes a habit of them. Then they eat these things regularly, which is like a mental disorder, and it’s defined as Pica, which can be harmful to your child if necessary steps are not taken in time.

Symptoms of Pica

Pica is mainly an eating disorder. There are a few symptoms of this disease named Pica. The most important symptoms are that, while suffering from this disease, your child will be looking for papers, calls, specks of dirt, drywalls, ice, hair, etc. for eating. Sometimes their behavior is also changed while suffering from this disease. But changing behavior is not a fact as it doesn’t happen with all the children suffering from Pica. Your child will feel a little bit of stomach pain, stomach upset, and some bowel problems if he/she is suffering from Pica. So, you should look after your children and notice their activity. If you find anything suspicious, then contact the doctor as soon as possible.

Pica causes some other health problems

While suffering from this disease, clay, chalk, flaking paint, and dirt are mostly eaten by the children, which are very harmful to their health. So, they have to face a lot of health problems when they get affected by this disease.

Here some health problems are included, which your child can face.

1. Your child will surely face iron deficiency anemia.
2. If your child eats flaking paint or dirt, it may lead to food poisoning.
3. He/She might suffer from eating dirty things like chalk and hair.
4. Your child may suffer from tooth injury or mouth problems.

Why is Pica caused?

There might be a problem with both mother and child, which can cause Pica. The leading cause of Pica is not taking proper care of the mother during pregnancy. If appropriate care is not taken at the time of Pregnancy, it might cause various diseases like Pica. But the actual reason for Pica hasn’t been known yet.

Causes of Pica:

1. Your child’s intellectual disabilities or development problems might cause Pica.
2. Pica might also be caused by some mental- health problems { obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) }, which causes because not getting proper nutrition in early childhood times.
3. When there is not enough food for eating, the children eat non-food substances, and it causes Pica.
4. Improper healthcare, while Pregnancy is the leading cause of Pica.

Diagnose and Treatment of Pica

There is no specific treatment for this disease, Pica. The scientists are working on it, but they didn’t find it yet. If you notice something suspicious in the activity of your child, then immediately take him to the doctor. In most countries, there is no treatment for Pica as their health system isn’t developed. The doctor will first inspect the symptoms of Pica in your child. Then if he thinks that the child is suffering from Pica, he will give you some tests. He/She will check some nutrition problems or animals in our child. He will also take a blood test of your child. If all the test results are positive, the doctor will prescribe you some medicine and suggestion. As there is no specific treatment for this disease, the doctor will treat your child’s diarrhea, tear, constipation,  intestinal, ulcer,  infection, or any other illnesses. It would be best if you let the doctor know how your child has been behaving for the last one month or one week. You should also tell him if you suffered from a nutrition problem at the time of Pregnancy. After inspecting all the test results and listening to all the symptoms, the doctor will let you know his final decision. If he thinks that your child is suffering from Pica, he will try to provide your child with the proper health care. In most Pica cases, the doctors recommend chelation therapy. You should also perfectly look after your child. You must keep an eye on his activities and give him/her the right food that contains the proper nutrition for your child. The treatment is mostly dependent on your hands.

How to prevent or avoid Pica?

You can’t prevent Pica. But you can avoid Pica. As there is no specific treatment of Pica, you should be cautious about it. It would be best if you kept an eye on the activities of your children. It would be best if you noticed that your child musn’t eat dirty things. You have to take proper care of your child from the early childhood years. If you keep a close eye on the eating habits of your child, you can easily catch this disorder at a minimal time.

Pica is a food disorder that can’t be prevented. So, only your attention will work in avoiding this disease. The parents must be cautious about their children if they want to keep their children safe. You should always monitor your child’s day-to-day activity, outside play, and eating habits. These steps can keep your children safe from this challenging disorder. For more details and information, just visit the local medical center and stay with us.