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Dayana
Yates

What Is Pica?

I was doing some research and I came across something known as pica, could you please tell me what is pica. I understood that it is a syndrome, I guess. What happens and why does it happen. Is it a phase that kids go through? Can adults also go through it? Is it easily curable, what does one do to treat it? What ages of kids go through this syndrome? Does it have to happen once at least in a kid’s life? How can it be prevented?

9 months ago

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Estefani Hood | Aug 3 2011

Pica is not a syndrome but it is an eating disorder. In this disorder child starts eating non edible items like chalk, dirt, cigarette, baking soda, charcoal, starch, newspaper, button etc.  It can be a cause of serious disease.  Not only children but it can be appear in some pregnant ladies, person that is suffering from any developmental disability or mental retardation and breastfeeding mothers.  People that take painted plaster can suffer from serious brain damage because plaster contains lead. It can be cause by some mineral deficiency or iron deficiency. Sometimes schizophrenia or any mental disorder can also cause pica. It can be treated under the guidance of good psychiatrist. Treatment of pica can vary from patient to patient. Some medicines also come to cure pica.If the cause of pica is mineral or iron deficiency doctor first try to balance the amount of iron and mineral in the patient body. If it is due to some mental problem then doctor first cure the mental disease. Zinc is also very efficient to treat pica.