giddyup715
12-01-2003, 02:21 AM
What is PICA? Am i using the right name for it? I think it means chewing (eating) clay-like materials and some are worse. Can someone tell me about it? And why does it happen?
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Sponsor PaNik5717 12-01-2003, 10:05 AM Pica is actually the craving/eating of non-nutritive substances. It is a diagnosis in the DSM. It is often caused by a vitamin or mineral deficiency, but it can also be a purely psychological craving. The deficiency is rarely related to anything contained in the thing that is craved. GertieMae 12-01-2003, 06:22 PM Hi, Panik was correct.PICA is the craving of non-nutritive substances such as Ice,the ends off matches,Sand,dirt,clay among many other items. Although consumption of some items may be harmless,PICA is considered to be a serious eating disorder,sometimes resulting in serious health problems such as Lead poisoning and Iron-deficiency Anemia. http://health.yahoo.com/health/encyclopedia/001538/0.html/ moonio 12-08-2003, 02:24 PM I used to eat chalk as a child, I had huge cravings for it, in later life i put this down to not liking milk so my body needed some other form of calcium... naughteblonde 12-08-2003, 04:08 PM I have b12 anaemia and the doc pointed out that my tendency to eat paper was a pica :) |
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