Pica-Desire to eat unusual Substance

Pica is eating disorder in which person desires to eat things that are not considered as food. People with this disorder usually intake things that have no nutritional values. They might eat harmless items that ice and sometimes they crave for dangerous items like paint, chalk or harmful metals which leads to poisoning. Usually persons desire for following.

• Dirt
• Ice
• Chalk
• Paint
• Hair
• Feces
• Paper
• Rocks
• Such eating habits can cause serious health issues.
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Lead poisoning
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Intestinal obstruction
• Teeth or mouth injuries

Doctor might diagnose after complete history taking, if the patient is child and in its developmental stage, or eating such things more than a moth, or having stress issues then he might consider it as Pica. But in children ages less than 2 years it is normal habit.

In homeopathy we treat patients according to the type of thing that he craves. Like if he/she craves for dirt or chalk they medicine is different. If he desires to eat ice, hair or rock then medicines will be different respectively. Patient should consider available treatment options as soon as possible to avoid further complications.