Pica

My daughter is 17 years old and is eating objects such as pencils, lizards, dirt, rocks, cement, gum from under bleachers at park, sticks, erasers, money, beetles, paper, used tissues, any thing she can get her hands on!!! What do I do. I am worried she will get severely sick. Her therapist cant help her he has tried everything. I get emails from school telling me she ate bugs or pencils. Any thing that I can do?

[Renee Radenberg]

There is an eating disorder called 'Pica' which children and adults eat non-food objects. Pica occurs more frequently with children. The causes of Pica are unknown, however, certain situations may increase the risk to it such as nutritional deficiencies of iron or zinc (the nonfood items craved usually do not supple the minerals lacking in the body), malnutrition (seen in underdeveloped countries where people will eat clay or soil), development problems (mental disabilities, and autism) and mental health conditions (obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia). Consumption of some non-food object maybe harmless, however, Pica is considered a serious eating disorder that may result in serious health issues such as lead poisoning and iron deficiency anemia. I am not saying she has Pica, but suggest you go to here MD and get checked.