Most of you know what pica is and have cared for individuals who suffer from this condition. Pica is defined as eating items or substances with no nutritional value. This condition is quite common in very young children and is normal to a degree in that age group. Infants and very young children explore and learn about their world by putting things in their mouths. They see it, taste it and identify the texture. They may also use items for teething. As children grow out of that exploration phase of their life, we also expect to see them grow out of pica behavior.
When pica behavior persists past infancy or very early childhood, we want to look at a couple of different things as the root cause of this behavior. Nutritional compromise is the number one concern in older children or pregnant women. Persons who have anemia, low iron or other deficient minerals in their blood may eat dirt or clay to obtain that nutrient. For some reason, their brain and body are communicating that the nutrient they need may be gotten from these particular sources. Another reason pica may continue is simply overall malnutrition. This can often be seen in cases of neglect when a person is simply not fed enough and they are hungry or being starved. Anything to satisfy that feeling of hunger is better than nothing.
A frequent cause of concern in pica in adults or older children is the possibility of gastrointestinal distress. Persons with gastroesophageal reflux will often display pica behaviors. There are a couple of theories on this. Saliva has a more alkaline nature and stomach contents are much more acidic. One thought is that by eating or even chewing, it causes an increase in saliva production which helps to neutralize the acid that has backed up into the esophagus from the reflux. A second consideration is that the person is trying to find anything to help soothe or ease the discomfort caused by the reflux.
Nutritional compromise is the number one concern in older children or pregnant women.
During the holidays, if you provide services to anyone with pica, it can be a very dangerous time. Eating glass Christmas tree ornaments and Christmas tree lights do not typically have a very good outcome for the person. Stuffed animals, pine cones and garland can cause choking hazards and glitter can cause aspiration issues. Be vigilant in placement of decorations. The person may also need increased supervision or 1:1 observation.
If a person has ingested items, try to find out if it was the potpourri or if they drank the infuser oil. Keep the poison control number handy at all times. Another thing that can occur is for the person not to be able to pass the ingested substance and a bezoar may form. A bezoar is mass of indigestible material that a person cannot pass. It may become hard and must be removed either surgically or via a scope procedure. It may cause a bowel obstruction. Other complications may be perforation of the intestines or stomach with serious complications.
Just always stay vigilant with any individual diagnosed with a pica condition. Their lives often will depend on it.
