Pica is an eating disorder unlike any other in which individuals seek out non-nutritional foods or non-edible items that are often harmful or toxic such as ice, dirt, paint chips, or even feces. (3)
Pica seems to affect a wide variety of people however these groups of subjects are usually individuals whom are already affected by an underlying illness or condition. These could be learning, physical, or mental illness disorders ranging from Autism, pregnancy, vitamin deficiencies, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia. (1) (2) It has been said “they develop pica as a coping mechanism” (1) to cope with their original disorder. For autistic children the research suggests that Pica is most often caused by not being able to distinguish