![]() Jennifer Zarcone, Ph.D., BCBA-D, is May Institute’s Chief Clinical Officer. By implementing effective safety measures, providing access to healthy alternative food items, increasing supervision, and teaching appropriate ways to communicate, we can protect the individuals we support, and help them live long and productive lives. Post the number for Poison Control near landlines, or program it into your cell phone.Īs family, friends, and caretakers of young children and individuals with intellectual disabilities, it is our responsibility to provide safe and healthy living environments. If you think anyone has ingested something dangerous, it is critical to immediately call 911 if the person is in distress or shows signs of illness. In instances where the individual does not exhibit signs of distress or illness, call Poison Control to determine next steps. In many cases, it is diagnosed in a hospital emergency room after a person has been transported there because of a physiological reaction such as vomiting, constipation, fever, or rectal bleeding caused by the ingestion of the inedible item. Unfortunately, pica is often discovered after an individual has already ingested the inedible item. To reduce occurrences of pica, provide safe, healthy, and appropriate alternative food items and help the individual find other ways to get attention and reduce stress. ![]() If it occurs during times of stress or anxiety, it may serve as a coping or calming mechanism. If it occurs at times when adults or caregivers are busy, it may be to get a reaction or attention from others. For example, if the behavior occurs prior to meals, it may be due to a vitamin deficiency or hunger. It is also important to identify the circumstances in which pica is mostly likely to occur. In addition, behavioral support should be sought not only to prevent the occurrence of pica, but to potentially treat the behavior as well. It is helpful to make everyone who comes into contact with that individual aware of the dangers of pica and enlist their assistance in providing supervision and keeping the environment safe.įor those individuals who purposefully seek out items to ingest, it is a good idea to obtain a medical consultation to identify any underlying conditions such as iron deficiencies that may be causing the behavior. You may need to put locks on cabinets, drawers, or the refrigerator. It is also important to carefully supervise the individual to block or stop mouthing or pica when it first occurs. If you are caring for a person who engages in pica accidentally due to mouthing, it is critical to keep the environment clear of items that could be mouthed and/or swallowed. These accidental and purposeful situations should be handled in different ways. Other times, pica occurs in a purposeful way when the individual seeks out the item to ingest. This occurs in both young children and individuals with disabilities who like the sensation of putting things in their mouths. Sometimes pica occurs by accident when an individual “mouths” an item and then accidentally swallows it. Simply treating the iron deficiency may successfully reduce the behavior. For example, people with iron deficiency may crave and eat clay, chalk, and dirt. The exact cause of pica is not known, but it may be associated with certain medical conditions (gastric parasites, sickle cell disease, iron deficiency), genetic disorders, and mental health conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. While some of these items may not lead to significant medical complications, others can cause poisoning, bowel obstructions or perforations, malnutrition, and even death. Pica behavior may also be seen in about 10% of individuals with autism and other developmental challenges.Ī person with pica may eat dirt, rocks, screws, nails, hair, crayons, glue, cleaning supplies, plastic, erasers, buttons, paint chips, chalk, wood, glass, needles, rubber bands, cigarette ends, and/or pieces of metal. The disorder has been diagnosed in 27-68% of pregnant women and in up to 50% of very young children. Pica (pronounced “pike-ah”) is a very dangerous disorder characterized by craving or ingesting inedible items. PBS Consultation for DDS-Funded Organizations.Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).
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