| Pica is most common in people with developmental | | | | overcorrection (correct the environment, or practice |
| disabilities, including autism and mental retardation. Pica | | | | appropriate alternative responses). |
| may also occur in adults who crave a certain texture | | | | Causes of Picacommon causes and risk factors of |
| in their mouth. The causes of pica of biochemical | | | | Pica |
| deficiency and more often iron deficiency. Iron | | | | Nutritional deficiencies. |
| deficiency (or "sideropenia") is the most common | | | | Cultural and familial factors. |
| known form of nutritional deficiency, such as iron or | | | | Stress. |
| zinc, that may trigger specific cravings. Cultural and | | | | Low socioeconomic status |
| familial factors- Clay or soil and the ingestion of | | | | Nondiscriminating oral behavior. |
| starch may be culturally based and is regarded as | | | | Underlying biochemical disorder. |
| acceptable by various social groups. Clay eating and | | | | Signs and Symptoms of Pica |
| starch eating are seen in the United States in some | | | | Sign and symptoms of Pica |
| southern, rural, African American communities, | | | | Nonnutritive substances for a period of at least 1 |
| primarily among women and children. Starch eating, in | | | | month. |
| particular, is frequently started in pregnancy as a | | | | Nonnutritive substances is inappropriate to the |
| treatment of morning sickness and is seen most | | | | developmental level. |
| often in pregnant and postpartum females. Learned | | | | Culturally sanctioned practice. |
| behavior-In individuals with mental retardation and | | | | Treatment of Pica |
| developmental disabilities in particular, the traditional | | | | Common Treatment of Pica |
| view is that the occurrence of pica is a learned | | | | Treatment emphasizes psychosocial, environmental, |
| behavior maintained by the consequences of that | | | | and family guidance approaches. |
| behavior. Maternal deprivation, parental separation, | | | | Other successful treatments include mild aversion |
| parental neglect, child abuse, and insufficient amounts | | | | therapy (associating the pica behavior with bad |
| of parent/child interactions have been associated with | | | | consequences or punishment) followed by positive |
| pica. Treatment options include: discrimination training | | | | reinforcement for appropriate eating. |
| between edible and nonedible items, self-protection | | | | Medications may help reduce the abnormal eating |
| devices that prohibit placement of objects in the | | | | behavior, if pica occurs in the course of a |
| mouth, sensory reinforcement involving screening | | | | developmental disorder such as mental retardation or |
| (covering eyes briefly), contingent aversive oral taste | | | | pervasive developmental disorder. |
| (lemon), contingent aversive smell sensation | | | | Juliet Cohen writes articles on diseases and conditions |
| (ammonia), contingent aversive physical sensation | | | | and skin disorders. |
| (water mist), brief physical restraint, and | | | | |