Pica is a mental health condition where a person compulsively swallows non-food items. It’s especially common in children and with certain conditions. While it’s often harmless, swallowing certain items can make pica very hazardous. Fortunately, it’s often treatable with therapy and modification to lifestyle and circumstances. What is pica?

Pica is the craving or consumption of objects that are not normally intended to be consumed. [2] It is classified as an eating disorder but can also be the result of an existing mental disorder. [3] The ingested or craved substance may be biological, natural or manmade.

Pica is an eating disorder that involves eating items that are not typically thought of as food and that do not contain significant nutritional value, such as hair, dirt, and paint chips. 1 How is Pica Diagnosed?

2024年10月24日 · Pica is an eating disorder marked by a persistent feeling or craving that causes you to eat things that have no nutritional value, such as dirt or paint. Most people with the …

2023年4月24日 · Pica is a condition that mostly affects pregnant people and children. People with it feel compelled to eat non-food items, such as dirt and things that are dangerous. They may be...

2023年6月26日 · The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines pica as eating nonnutritive, nonfood substances over a period of at least one month.

2023年12月7日 · Pica is 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.