Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the MCHB, HRSA, HHS, or Autism Speaks. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Research Program to the Massachusetts General Hospital. It is supported by cooperative agreement UA3 MC 11054 through the U.S. "These materials are the product of on-going activities of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network, a funded program of Autism Speaks. Treatments that require professional help Why do children with autism and other developmental disabilities have pica? The Pica Tool Kits for Parents and Professionals help parents and primary care providers understand more about pica, the signs and symptoms, as well as the ways to treat and prevent it. Other children hold things in their mouths and move them around only swallowing the item occasionally. For example, a child may eat food from a garbage can or bite off a piece of a toy plastic car and swallow it quickly. A person may chew on or swallow certain objects to alleviate pain or discomfort, or to help them channel their overwhelming anxiety or stress.Ĭlick “next” to learn how to treat pica.Pica, the repeated eating of non-food items, is the eating disorder most often displayed by children with autism. Chewing on or eating non-food items may be a symptom of iron or zinc deficiency or an inadequate amount of some other mineral…or perhaps just the inability to communicate hunger.Īnd lastly, there could be a medical or dental condition involved. A person who eats non-food items may simply not understand the difference between food and things that aren’t food, or he or she may still be in a continuation of the infantile mouthing phase, despite not being an infant anymore.Ī third reason someone might exhibit signs of pica is that of a dietary need. In some cases, pica could be a more developmentally linked issue. Whatever they’re choosing to eat provides an enjoyable taste or feeling in the mouth or throat and fulfills a sensory craving. In some cases, pica can be an attention-seeking behavior or an avoidance tactic, but this certainly isn’t always the case.įor many people, the choice to eat non-food items is about sensory stimulation, as sensory issues are very common in people with autism. There are several reasons why someone with autism or an intellectual disability may eat something that is not food. Photo: Adobe Stock/Roman Stetsyk Why does pica occur? Distinguishing between medical, dietary, sensory, or other needs may require careful observation and trips to the doctor or dentist. Its one and only symptom is usually an easy one to pick out.įiguring out what causes pica in an individual, however, may be more of a challenge, especially in a non-verbal person. Pica is a condition characterized by eating or chewing on items that are not food, particularly when one continues this mouthing practice after the age of two. Relative to autism and other comorbid disorders such as dyspraxia, pica is actually very easy to recognize and diagnose. Photo: Adobe Stock/malija How does someone get diagnosed with pica? Pica is estimated to affect about four to 26 percent of the population, although it may be underreported. The types of items eaten vary between individuals and may include anything from stones and dirt to hair and paperclips to feces and toxic substances. Pica is a condition characterized by eating or chewing on items that are not food, particularly when one continues this mouthing practice after the age of two. Photo: Adobe Stock/AlcelVision What is pica? But knowing more about it can help you figure out what to do to keep someone with autism and pica safe from this harmful behavior. The behaviors associated with it probably seem strange to those who don’t have it, and they could be very dangerous to those who do have it. Pica is just one of many disorders that are often seen comorbidly in people who have autism or other intellectual disorders and disabilities. But other times, their behaviors may be confusing, odd, or even dangerous. People with autism often surprise others in the most delightful and interesting of ways.
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