Pica Eating Disorder Research Paper
Pica Eating Disorder
What is Pica? Pica eating disorder is defined as the persistent ingestion of non-nutritive items for at least one month at an age for which this behavior is developmentally inappropriate. This does not include culturally sanctioned eating practices (An Update on Pica n.d.). Some items that pica sufferers eat are but not limited to:
• Soap • Buttons • Clay
• Hair • Cigarette Butts • Paint
• Glue • Sand/Dirt • Plaster
• Laundry Starch • Coffee Grounds • Paper
• Toothpaste • Chalk • Other Non-Food Items
People who have pica are usually young of age. Between 10-30% of children ages 1-6 have had some sort of period where non-food items have been ingested (What causes pica n.d.). Women have also been noted to go through a stage …show more content…
For example, people who eat clay usually have an iron deficiency in their body. Children who do not have a mental condition but have this disorder sometimes come from a family that are of low socioeconomic status (An Update on Pica n.d.). This means that the family is not financially stable and cannot always provide a meal for the children to eat. This leads to the eating of non-food and non-nutritional items to fill the hunger. A lack of parental supervision also can account for developing pica (Pica: MedlinePlus n.d.).
Other
There are many other reasons why pica eating disorder may start in a person (What is pica n.d.). Pregnant women can have unusual carvings that can lead to eating items that have no nutritional value to the mother or the baby. For other people, the cause could be that the person enjoys that texture and the flavor of the items that are being eaten. Stress can also have a person eat non-food, non-nutritional items (MamasHealth n.d.).
Symptoms
There are signs that are present when a person suffers from pica eating disorder. Problems with the intestinal tract are most common (Pica: MedlinePlus n.d.). Constipation and diarrhea are problems with people who eat clay, hair, and cloth products. Objects like metal that is eaten can cause bowel perforation, a hole in the bowel. Teeth damage can be another
What is Pica? Pica eating disorder is defined as the persistent ingestion of non-nutritive items for at least one month at an age for which this behavior is developmentally inappropriate. This does not include culturally sanctioned eating practices (An Update on Pica n.d.). Some items that pica sufferers eat are but not limited to:
• Soap • Buttons • Clay
• Hair • Cigarette Butts • Paint
• Glue • Sand/Dirt • Plaster
• Laundry Starch • Coffee Grounds • Paper
• Toothpaste • Chalk • Other Non-Food Items
People who have pica are usually young of age. Between 10-30% of children ages 1-6 have had some sort of period where non-food items have been ingested (What causes pica n.d.). Women have also been noted to go through a stage …show more content…
For example, people who eat clay usually have an iron deficiency in their body. Children who do not have a mental condition but have this disorder sometimes come from a family that are of low socioeconomic status (An Update on Pica n.d.). This means that the family is not financially stable and cannot always provide a meal for the children to eat. This leads to the eating of non-food and non-nutritional items to fill the hunger. A lack of parental supervision also can account for developing pica (Pica: MedlinePlus n.d.).
Other
There are many other reasons why pica eating disorder may start in a person (What is pica n.d.). Pregnant women can have unusual carvings that can lead to eating items that have no nutritional value to the mother or the baby. For other people, the cause could be that the person enjoys that texture and the flavor of the items that are being eaten. Stress can also have a person eat non-food, non-nutritional items (MamasHealth n.d.).
Symptoms
There are signs that are present when a person suffers from pica eating disorder. Problems with the intestinal tract are most common (Pica: MedlinePlus n.d.). Constipation and diarrhea are problems with people who eat clay, hair, and cloth products. Objects like metal that is eaten can cause bowel perforation, a hole in the bowel. Teeth damage can be another