Do your best to “pica-proof” your home.Ĭonsider your home environment and other places where your child spends time. For instance, her teachers may need to store certain things out of her reach or provide extra adult supervision in certain situations. Let them know what kinds of nonfood items she tends to eat and in what situations. Tell teachers and other caregivers that your child has pica. For these reasons, you and your child’s healthcare team should keep her pica in mind if she becomes ill or develops related symptoms. Pica can also produce dental problems, interfere with nutrient absorption and result in gastrointestinal blockages and infections. This can likewise be detected with blood tests. A common example is lead poisoning from eating non-food items containing lead. Your daughter’s care providers should also monitor for pica-related health problems. With guidance from the lab results, you may need to increase her intake of certain foods or supplements. Since low iron and zinc can contribute to pica, your daughter may need a blood test for nutritional deficiencies. Managing Picaįortunately, there are several practical steps you can take to protect your child’s health and safety. In these cases, the pica may reflect a nutritional deficiency. These children think they’re eating food when they’re not.įinally, for some children – with or without autism – pica is triggered by genuine cravings for nutrients such as iron or zinc. With some children, the problem appears to be difficulty telling food from non-food. This kind of sensory stimulation may be similar to other autism-related behaviors such as spinning or looking at lights. The individual enjoys the feeling of eating certain non-food items. But three fairly common issues tend to contribute to pica in those with autism. When parents come to me, they usually want to know why their child is eating strange things. So I greatly appreciate both your awareness of your daughter’s pica and your desire for advice. Some feel so embarrassed by the behavior that they don’t even ask for help. Like you, many parents of children with autism are uncertain what to do. The items I most commonly hear about are paper, soap, pebbles, thread and bits of clothing. This tendency is relatively common in children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. For the uninitiated, pica (pronounced PY-kah) is an appetite for non-food items. Lynn has co-authored several AS-ATN/AIR-P* tool kits, including an upcoming family guide on pica.Īs a nurse practitioner in a developmental pediatrics program, I see lots of children and teens with pica. The University of Rochester is one of 17 Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (AS-ATN) centers. Guest post by pediatric nurse practitioner Lynn Cole, associate director of clinical services at the University of Rochester’s Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.
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