Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Do People With Pica Eat?CausesDiagnosisComplicationsTreatmentOutlookCoping

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Do People With Pica Eat?

Causes

Diagnosis

Complications

Treatment

Outlook

Coping

Picais an eating disorder that causes someone to crave and compulsively eat things that are not food, such as paint chips, dirt, paper, or hair. The disorder can lead to intestinal blockages, toxic side effects, and other health issues.

Pica is usually temporary and can affect pregnant people and others withiron-deficiency anemiaor other nutrient deficiencies who may crave certain minerals found in dirt, or eat earthy material like clay. Pica disorder is also seen in people living with anautism spectrum disorder.

Pica in kids is not uncommon and is more prevalent in autistic kids and those with developmental or intellectual disabilities (pica is not diagnosed in those under age 2).

This article explains pica symptoms and health issues that may follow the ingestion of non-food material. It explains common types of pica and their causes, as well as pica treatment.

Verywell / Laura Porter

Pica types have different names, based on describing the type of non-food items that people eat. Pica disorder examples includepagophagia, which refers to eating ice, and geophagia, which refers to eating dirt and clay.

Is Eating Ice Bad for You?

What Are the Causes of Pica?

Although the exact cause of pica is unknown, experts know that some conditions cause a person to be more at risk for developing pica. These include:

Pica in Pregnancy

Other Risk Factors

Pica can be linked with several other conditions, including:

The overall number of people with pica is not clear, but it is thought to be more prevalent in developing countries than in the United States.

Pica in Autistic Children

Several factors have been linked with pica in autistic kids. The reasons these kids often crave nonfoods may include the following.

Pica Disorder and AutismPica disorders are more common in autistic people and in people with certain intellectual disabilities and mental health diagnoses. In one study, 23.2%, of autistic kids had pica disorders, while 8.4% of kids with a developmental disability and 3.5% of kids in the general population had pica disorders.

Pica Disorder and Autism

Pica disorders are more common in autistic people and in people with certain intellectual disabilities and mental health diagnoses. In one study, 23.2%, of autistic kids had pica disorders, while 8.4% of kids with a developmental disability and 3.5% of kids in the general population had pica disorders.

How Is Pica Diagnosed?

Other tests may then follow based on symptoms and what the person may be eating.

Diagnostic Tests

Pica disorders may be diagnosed based on tests that include:

Qualifying Factors for a Pica Diagnosis

The criteria of symptoms that qualify a person to be diagnosed with pica include:

The type of nonfood substances that are ingested often change according to a person’s age and the availability of nonfood items.

What Are the Complications of Pica?

Symptoms of pica occur as a result of the toxic or poisonous content as well as the bacteria in nonfood items that are ingested. The symptoms may include:

Because pica symptoms are linked to the substances ingested, some of these symptoms may lead to more serious complications.

Call 911 if you witness signs of choking or severe pain in someone with pica or experience them yourself.

How Is Pica Treated?

Pica disorder treatment varies depending on the underlying factors linked with the condition. It’s important for healthcare providers to address the symptoms that often result from pica.

These symptoms differ depending on which nonfood items are ingested. Common pica treatments include:

Behavioral Treatment for Pica

Pica disorder behaviors have similar features to symptoms and patterns of other conditions, such as bulimia or obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s been seen in people with bipolar disorder.

Treatments that address the pica behavior itself may include:

Is Pica a Form of OCD?Obessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) behavior patterns don’t explain all types and cases of pica disorder. However, OCD has been associated with pica symptoms, sometimes leading to an OCD diagnosis.

Is Pica a Form of OCD?

Obessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) behavior patterns don’t explain all types and cases of pica disorder. However, OCD has been associated with pica symptoms, sometimes leading to an OCD diagnosis.

Professionals

Professionals trained in treating pica may include:

Outlook (Prognosis)

Pica disorder treatment may be successful, but it varies quite a bit depending on the underlying causes and any related factors. In kids, pica usually improves as they grow up. But for those with mental illness or developmental disorders, it commonly continues into the teenage years or even into adulthood.

A thorough medical evaluation can result in the effective treatment of underlying problems, such as nutritional deficiencies, which may end up resolving pica.

Pregnant people with pica will often experience a resolution of symptoms when the pregnancy ends. Many kids with pica outgrow it, however, autistic kids or those with developmental or intellectual disabilities might experience pica symptoms for most or all of their lives.

Coping With Pica

Pica disorder can be very challenging. It’s important to reach out and find experienced local professionals trained in treating compulsive behavior conditions such as pica.

There are many strategies to help empower people with pica and, in turn, lower stress and build positive coping skills while dealing with specific issues. Specific strategies, such as chewing gum, avoiding non-food items that you crave, and keeping stress at bay can all be helpful coping strategies.

Some examples for parents of autistic children include the following:

Summary

Pica is a condition in which people consume non-food items, such as dirt, clay, paint chips, cloth, string, cigarette butts, or rubber bands. It occurs more commonly in autistic kids or with developmental or intellectual disabilities, pregnant people, as well as some non-pregnant adults. Nutritional deficiencies may be at the root of some types of pica. Treatment includes supplementing deficient nutrients, behavioral therapy, and medication. If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one consuming non-food items, speak to a healthcare professional to get help.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Eating Disorders. (NEDA).Pica.Papini NM, Bulik CM, Chawner SJ, Micali N.Prevalence and recurrence of pica behaviors in early childhood: findings from the ALSPAC birth cohort.medRxiv. 2023.06.04.23290951. doi:10.1101/2023.06.04.23290951American Academy of Family Physicians.What is pica.Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, Tian LH, Wiggins L, Maenner M,et al.Pica, Autism, and Other Disabilities.Pediatrics. 2021 Feb;147(2):e20200462. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0462.Bedanie G, Tikue A, Thongtan T, Zitun M, Nugent K.Pica/Pagophagia-Associated Hyponatremia: Patient Presenting With Seizure.Cureus. 2020 Jul 21;12(7):e9330. doi:10.7759/cureus.9330.Bharti A, Mishra AK, Sinha V, Anwar Z, Kumar V, Mitra S.Paper eating: An unusual obsessive-compulsive disorder dimension.Ind Psychiatry J. 2015 Jul-Dec;24(2):189-91. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.181713.Kids Health from Nemours.Pica.Call NA, Simmons CA, Mevers JE, Alvarez JP.Clinical Outcomes of Behavioral Treatments for Pica in Children with Developmental Disabilities.J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(7):2105-2114. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2375-z

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Eating Disorders. (NEDA).Pica.Papini NM, Bulik CM, Chawner SJ, Micali N.Prevalence and recurrence of pica behaviors in early childhood: findings from the ALSPAC birth cohort.medRxiv. 2023.06.04.23290951. doi:10.1101/2023.06.04.23290951American Academy of Family Physicians.What is pica.Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, Tian LH, Wiggins L, Maenner M,et al.Pica, Autism, and Other Disabilities.Pediatrics. 2021 Feb;147(2):e20200462. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0462.Bedanie G, Tikue A, Thongtan T, Zitun M, Nugent K.Pica/Pagophagia-Associated Hyponatremia: Patient Presenting With Seizure.Cureus. 2020 Jul 21;12(7):e9330. doi:10.7759/cureus.9330.Bharti A, Mishra AK, Sinha V, Anwar Z, Kumar V, Mitra S.Paper eating: An unusual obsessive-compulsive disorder dimension.Ind Psychiatry J. 2015 Jul-Dec;24(2):189-91. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.181713.Kids Health from Nemours.Pica.Call NA, Simmons CA, Mevers JE, Alvarez JP.Clinical Outcomes of Behavioral Treatments for Pica in Children with Developmental Disabilities.J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(7):2105-2114. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2375-z

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Eating Disorders. (NEDA).Pica.Papini NM, Bulik CM, Chawner SJ, Micali N.Prevalence and recurrence of pica behaviors in early childhood: findings from the ALSPAC birth cohort.medRxiv. 2023.06.04.23290951. doi:10.1101/2023.06.04.23290951American Academy of Family Physicians.What is pica.Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, Tian LH, Wiggins L, Maenner M,et al.Pica, Autism, and Other Disabilities.Pediatrics. 2021 Feb;147(2):e20200462. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0462.Bedanie G, Tikue A, Thongtan T, Zitun M, Nugent K.Pica/Pagophagia-Associated Hyponatremia: Patient Presenting With Seizure.Cureus. 2020 Jul 21;12(7):e9330. doi:10.7759/cureus.9330.Bharti A, Mishra AK, Sinha V, Anwar Z, Kumar V, Mitra S.Paper eating: An unusual obsessive-compulsive disorder dimension.Ind Psychiatry J. 2015 Jul-Dec;24(2):189-91. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.181713.Kids Health from Nemours.Pica.Call NA, Simmons CA, Mevers JE, Alvarez JP.Clinical Outcomes of Behavioral Treatments for Pica in Children with Developmental Disabilities.J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(7):2105-2114. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2375-z

National Eating Disorders. (NEDA).Pica.

Papini NM, Bulik CM, Chawner SJ, Micali N.Prevalence and recurrence of pica behaviors in early childhood: findings from the ALSPAC birth cohort.medRxiv. 2023.06.04.23290951. doi:10.1101/2023.06.04.23290951

American Academy of Family Physicians.What is pica.

Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, Tian LH, Wiggins L, Maenner M,et al.Pica, Autism, and Other Disabilities.Pediatrics. 2021 Feb;147(2):e20200462. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-0462.

Bedanie G, Tikue A, Thongtan T, Zitun M, Nugent K.Pica/Pagophagia-Associated Hyponatremia: Patient Presenting With Seizure.Cureus. 2020 Jul 21;12(7):e9330. doi:10.7759/cureus.9330.

Bharti A, Mishra AK, Sinha V, Anwar Z, Kumar V, Mitra S.Paper eating: An unusual obsessive-compulsive disorder dimension.Ind Psychiatry J. 2015 Jul-Dec;24(2):189-91. doi:10.4103/0972-6748.181713.

Kids Health from Nemours.Pica.

Call NA, Simmons CA, Mevers JE, Alvarez JP.Clinical Outcomes of Behavioral Treatments for Pica in Children with Developmental Disabilities.J Autism Dev Disord. 2015;45(7):2105-2114. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2375-z

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?