Sitting at the park on a marvelous day watching the kids play in the park, then it happens one kid starts eating dirt.
Wondering why he’s doing it, and what’s his motive? Intrigued, I go home and research the symptoms and I come up with one word: Pica. But what exactly is Pica? Pica is a very rare disorders with an interesting history, where signs and symptoms help diagnosis the treatments for it. Pica is a disorder in which you have an appetite or weird craving for things that have no nutritional value. There is no age limit for the disease; anyone can have Pica at any point in time.Pica can be associated with mental and stress related disorders. Stress factors such as family issues, pregnancy, poverty, parental neglect, and a disorganized family, are strongly linked to Pica.
There are different variations of Pica; it can be genetic, could be desire for the taste, tried once and enjoyed it, or an iron deficiency. It can lead to a “drunken state” in children, which can result in negative physical and mental development. Pica can lead to nutrition deficiencies and can cause surgical emergencies. Furthermore, these will lead you into the history pica and what it’s all about.The history of Pica is very intriguing and very informative. Pica comes from the Latin word-meaning magpie.
A magpie is a bird in the crow family that inhabits the western half of North America. The magpie is a resourceful omnivore, eating many types of insects, seeds, rodents, berries, nuts, eggs, and also garbage and food from pets that are fed outside. Magpies show an uncritical preference for foods and nonfoods. Pica has been practiced as part of religious ceremonies, magical beliefs, and attempts at healing.
Pica of dirt and clay was popular amongst the Greeks and the Romans and was recorded in a 13th century Latin work.Pica was first written in a medical book in 1563. Clay intake has been used for medicinal purposes by many cultures, it was commonly believed to rid the infection, or disease in ones intestines. Pica has frequently been described as a symptom of iron deficiency, but it occurs in those who have normal blood levels.
Ice eating is closely related to iron deficiency. The other forms of pica, nevertheless, have been much more inconsistent in their response to iron or any other mineral therapy. Also, these things have been closely linked to the signs and symptoms of pica.The signs and symptoms of Pica however can be very dormant or very serious depending on what's eating. Pica can manifest as a benign disorder or an extremely serious one. Nutritional deficiencies such as that of iron and zinc deficiencies are most notably observed.
Very painful intestinal symptoms are common such as bowel damage, constipation, vomiting, and ulcers. Bezoars, a solid mass of dry material that builds in your digestive tract, sometimes causing a blockage, may be found in the intestine. Intestinal blockage can be very life threatening. Lead poisoning is another symptom associated with eating pencils and paint chips.
Worm infestations like roundworm or tapeworm can occur with ingestion of mud or feces. People living in poverty, famished children, and people with the genetic trait are more susceptible to developing Pica. In some cultures, like African–Americans in the United States, digestion of kaolin is a common practice. Kaolin is soft white clay, which can be used in porcelain, fine china, or filler in paper.
Malnutrition is often detected at the same time as Pica. Some cultural groups are teaching children to eat clay. People with iron deficiency, anemic, have been reported to chew on ice cubes.Again, the method or common link is not known.
Eating paint is most common among children who live in poverty. It is often related with those who have very little to no parental supervision. Hunger also may result in pica. Which of an inability to tell the difference between food and nonfood items has linked people with mental handicap to Pica. This answer, however, is not supported by the examples of nonfood items that were consciously eaten by people with limited mental gifts. Pica can go unnoticed, and is usually only discovered when a health problem strikes.
It can remain undetected for months or even years.Very often pica is detected when an individual suffers from an intestinal blockage, intestinal tear, dental injury, or a poisoning infection linked with eating non-food substances. Blood tests will usually be carried out during, to determine if a mineral shortage could be the cause. Pica is diagnosed in individuals who have routinely eaten non-food substances for at least a month, for whom this behavior is inappropriate to their developmental stage.
Those who do not consume these substances as part of a recognized cultural or religious practice will fit into the category.Only a qualified doctor should make a diagnosis of Pica. Laboratory studies may be used to access these answers. The choice of imaging or laboratory studies depends on the characteristics of the ingested materials and the resulting medical problems.
In addition to people having pica some animals even have cases of pica! Even animals have cases of Pica; one idea is that the behaviors are in need of attention. Often dogs will eat concrete and grout for example, which can be treated with iron supplementation. Zinc in particular has shown to help treat cases of Pica even when there is no deficiency.Oddly enough, if engaging in one of these behaviors results, between the animal and his owner even a verbal scolding then the behavior may be reinforced and will happen very often. Others think the reason the animals behaviors are an attempt to obtain a necessary nutrient lacking in the diet. Pica may also come from frustration or anxiety.
Some say the pica disorder in animals begin as play. As the animal becomes curious and chews on the objects, they eventually begin to eat them. However, there have been signs and breakthrough as to how to help pica.The treatment for pica, however, will vary depending on the case and what the person has consumed.
In some cases, where there is an absence, can be treated through diet changes and shots. When the problem is psychological, the treatments help to treat obsessive-compulsive origins: they make them identify negative thoughts, which are the patterns that might be leading to the problem of Pica and replacing them with positive thoughts. Otherwise other forms of therapy such as psychotherapy might help to determine the motivating stresses and conflicts that result in this unhelpful behavior.People can also have some success in trying to replace their behaviors with less negative ones such as chewing gum or exercising. This can make the person feel as though they’re still using the Pica product they were once using that was harmful. As a last resort for psychological causes, medication might be successful in treating the problem In the case of developmental issues, restraint is sometimes necessary and for parents it will of course be necessary to ensure that any potentially harmful materials be moved.
“There are few statistics for Pica in general, but in institutionalized people, it is estimated at 4 - 26%.Pica is not considered inappropriate in children up to 18 - 24 months of age. Young people with mental retardation are likely to develop pica between the ages of 10 and 20. ” (Longe) In conclusion, Pica is one of the most unknown disorders in the world, making it very intriguing.
There have been many cases of Pica since the Greek and Roman period, but no known records until 1563. The signs and symptoms of pica can be very dormant or very serious depending on what thing you are consuming. Even animals can develop pica, and the treatments of pica vary on how severe the case is, and what the person has been eating.
