Pica

Most of you already know that my daughter was recently diagnosed with a condition called Pica. I have had several people ask me to explain exactly what it is. Well, in answers to all your questions, I did some research on this condition and put together the most important facts. To learn more, read below:




Pica- a medical disorder where the person craves non-food items such as dirt, clay, ashes, chalk, lotions, sweet smelling item such as shampoo and conditioner/ perfume, and crayons/markers. Pica is most common in women and children. Pica in children can sometimes be fatal. There are several known causes of Pica. Some include: stress and anxiety, iron deficiency or another mineral deficiency, some mental health conditions such as OCD and schizophrenia. Pica is currently recognized as a mental disorder by the widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).


The cause of my daughter's Pica is unknown seeing how she doesn't fall into any of the common known causes. The doctor at Children's Hospital suggested Behavioral Health Therapy. This is one of the several types of treatment. This is the most common when it comes to children. They may use the cognitive approach when treating my daughter. (This is in my opinion and comes from my education in the Psychology field. I feel this would be the most beneficial to her.) The cognitive approach is a type of therapy that has been used with children that most had a positive outcome. This approach is usually short term. The doctor will probably watch my child for a series of sessions to see how she reacts to certain items. Then, in a way easy for her to understand, the psychologist will then decide which direction is the best to go. In the mean time, they will be helping her to understand what is going on with her and ways to deal with it. They will teach her how to fight against the urge to eat the non-food item and teach her that food is the way to go.


This may take a while and she may have to do this during her first year of Kindergarten. The school may also be directed to have a student aid present with her at all times to ensure she doesn't take a chunk out of the crayons or drink the glue. Hopefully, we can get this under control before that becomes an issue. As we all know, children these days aren't respectful to other's with certain needs.


Well, there you have it. A small explanation with what our near future holds. I will update everyone when the therapy is began to start.