Those who are pregnant and craving nonfood items should only be diagnosed with pica when their cravings lead to ingesting nonfood items, and the ingestion of those items poses a potential medical risk (either due to the quantity or type of item being ingested).

This Pica 3030/SB Dry Long Life Automatic Graphite Blister Marker Pen makes precise material cutting or sharpening an easy job for professional and DIY users.It has a universal graphite 2B lead that makes marking possible on almost all surfaces, no matter if dry or wet, glossy or rough, dusty or oily.It is unclear how many people are affected by pica. It most likely is more prevalent in developing countries.

There are no laboratory tests for pica. Instead, the diagnosis is made from a clinical history of the patient. C hildren below the age of 18 months explore objects by mouthing and sometimes swallowing, and therefore pica is not diagnosed below the age of 2 years. Common items children with pica eat can include: sand; chalk; playdoh; clothing; faeces; hair and paper. Typical substances ingested tend to vary with age and availability. They may include paper, soap, cloth, hair, string, wool, soil, chalk, talcum powder, paint, gum, metal, pebbles, charcoal, ash, clay, starch, or ice.The ingestion of the substance(s) is not a part of culturally supported or socially normative practice (e.g., some cultures promote eating clay as part of a medicinal practice). The first-line treatment for pica involves testing for mineral or nutrient deficiencies and correcting those. In many cases, concerning eating behaviors disappear as deficiencies are corrected. If the behaviors aren’t caused by malnutrition or don’t stop after nutritional treatment, a variety of behavioral interventions are available. Nutritional factors such as low levels of iron or zinc may be linked. Some children may get a pleasurable feeling or sensory stimulation from eating non-food items.