![]() ![]() Physical illness as a result of eating harmful substances.Eating substances that aren’t supposed to be eaten.This tendency is relatively common in children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. For the uninitiated, pica (pronounced PY-kah) is an appetite for non-food items. Craving to consume substances that aren’t supposed to be eaten. As a nurse practitioner in a developmental pediatrics program, I see lots of children and teens with pica.The reasons that people develop pica are not yet clear, although several scientists have linked it to the nervous system, and have understood it as a learned behaviour or coping mechanism, report BeatEatingDisorders. People with the disease do not usually avoid regular food, which means they are still getting all the nutrients they need. ![]() It affects people of all genders and ages, but it is more likely to first appear among children. These might include paper, soap, paint, chalk, or ice. Pica is a feeding disorder in which someone eats non-food substances that have no nutritional value. If I could just help one person then I'll be happy." What is Pica? "I'd like to set up a charity or something one day to fill that gap. "I'm just a typical mum, I don't know where to go for that help. I didn't want her to go through school with no help She hopes that one day she will be able to set up her own organisation to provide assistance to other parents and children, saying: "I've had to fight for everything, it's one of the reasons I had to quit work so I could help her. Jordanna is now calling on for some help, as she says there just isn't any for parents like herself. "I feel like I'm being passed from pillar to post." The former sales account manager added: "Occupational therapy had told me that she's halfway down the waiting list so she would be seen in the new year, but now they're saying there's nothing they can do to help me. The family was on a waiting list for a home assessment from an occupational therapist to give tips on how to make their two-bed semi-safer, but Jordanna has now been tragically told that won't happen. ![]()
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