Eating Disorder In Children

                                  PICA

•     Pica is an eating disorder.
•     It causes a person to develop an uncontrollable desire to      eat substances that have little or no nutritive value in        large amounts.
•     Conditions for these actions to be considered pica:

              a)They must persist for more than one month at an age                where eating such objects is considered                                    developmentally inappropriate (some children eat

                  non edible substances because of curiosity, but not                  craving).

              b)Not part of a cultural practice and severe enough to

                 cause clinical attention.

CAUSES  OF  PICA

•     A deficiency in iron, zinc, or another nutrient may lead to pica. The body will try to replace the low levels of nutrients through “food”.
•     Mental health conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and schizophrenia can develop pica to cope.
•     People with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa may attempt to ease hunger by eating nonfood substances to get a feeling of fullness.
•     Cultural factors — in families, religions, or groups in which eating nonfood substances is a learned practice
•     Parental neglect, lack of supervision, or food deprivation — often seen in children living in poverty.
•     Developmental problems, such as mental retardation, autism, other developmental disabilities, or brain abnormalities
•     Pregnancy due to the increase in iron demand by the developing baby.

WHAT  DO  THEY  EAT ?

Some of the most common examples of items consumed items

are:

•     Starch (both laundry starch and corn starch)
•     Ice
•     Dirt and wall paint
•     Clay or soil
•     Paper and wood
•     Wool or hair

NEGATIVE  EFFECTS  OF  PICA

  Pica is a serious eating disorder that can result in severe

  health problems such as:

•     Lead poisoning
•     Serious mental/brain problems
•     Intestinal blockages
•     Parasitic infections
•     Choking
•     Malnutrition/Starvation
•     Infection
•     Death-if left untreated

TREATMENT

ALWAYS  CONSULT  TO  YOUR DOCTOR... &

•     This may include Iron supplementation for Anemia
•     Mental Health Counseling
•     Medication to help with OCD or psychological disorders
•     Removal of items from the surroundings

OUTCOMES

Prognosis success varies. In many cases, the disorder lasts

several months, then disappears on its own. In some cases,

 it may continue into the teen years or adulthood,

especially when it occurs with developmental disorders.

   "We worry about what a child will become

tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone

 today." 

                                                                   Dr Mohit Bansal