![]() Eating sharp items can lead to bowel perforations, and eating items contaminated with bacteria, like soil, can result in serious infections. Because of the complications associated with consuming ice on a regular basis, the compulsive eating of ice cubes counts as pica as well.Įating paint can lead to lead poisoning, and eating items that can't possibly be digested can cause constipation and bowel obstruction. Though ice cubes are made from water, which is the most essential food item out there, its temperature can cause problems that can range from from damaged tooth enamel to metabolic changes. Quite a few people apparently crave ice cubes and give into that craving. The dangers of pica depend on the actual items that a person is ingesting. People who suffer from the eating disorder pica crave eat any non-food items compulsively, but the ones listed above are some of the more commonly chosen things. Magpies are birds that eat almost anything and are known for their compulsion to take shiny things to their nests. The eating disorder pica gets its name from "pica pica", the Latin word for magpie. What Is Pica, And What Are The Dangers of This Eating Disorder? What we do know is that pica can develop during pregnancy, and some researchers speculate that nutritional deficiencies are behind the compulsion to eat non-food items. The true prevalence of this eating disorder in society at large isn't known, perhaps because folks who have it are afraid to seek medical help for pica. Who would want to eat things that aren't food? You must be pretty crazy to have cravings for cigarette ash or sponge, right? While it's true that a relatively large percentage institutionalized populations have pica, this eating disorder can develop in anyone. Pica is not your usual eating disorder - it doesn't have anything to do with eating too little or too much, but rather with eating things that aren't food at all. Pica falls into a whole other category, though. At the other end of the spectrum, you have people so obese that their bodies could just stop at any time. Many patients with eating disorders place their lives at risk by starving themselves. Low birth weight, premature birth, mental and physical abnormalities among infants whose mothers practice pica during pregnancy.Read More: Since When Did Eating Disorders Become A Trend?.High blood pressure, high levels of sodium salts in the blood, and abnormal liver functions such as those resulting from consuming large quantities of baking powder.Infestations of parasites such as tapeworms resulting from consuming dirt or feces.Damage to teeth and gums from chewing abrasive materials such as twigs or metals.Nutritional deficiencies, such as the interference of soil with the absorption of iron, zinc, and potassium in the digestive system.Inadequate protein or energy-intake from consuming things like coffee grounds or oyster shells in place of real food.Obesity from consuming too many calories, such as eating laundry starch.Obstruction of the bowel or airways from consuming or choking on indigestible materials such as hair.Poisoning, such as lead poisoning from eating chips of old paint or soil that has old paint in it.If pica is a result of stress, treatment may involve talk therapy or family therapy and the development of coping skills, such as learning stress-reduction techniques or finding a safe substance to chew on instead. If pica is a result of inadequate supervision, treatment may involve educating the family and teaching children to distinguish between food and non-food items, and addressing housing and economic needs if possible. Doctors may treat the medical problems first, assess potential causes of the disorder such as nutrient deficiencies, and then develop a treatment plan that may involve changes to diet and nutrition as well as therapy. ![]() Treatment for pica varies based on what substance the person has consumed and how it has affected the body. Therefore, it’s important to monitor and treat the condition as early as possible. However, it may also lead to medical complications such as intestinal obstruction, bowel problems, weight loss, broken teeth, infections, or poisoning.
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