Why is my 4 year old eating paper?

For the uninitiated, pica (pronounced PY-kah) is an appetite for non-food items. This tendency is relatively common in children and adults with autism or other developmental disabilities. They may try to eat all sorts of things. The items I most commonly hear about are paper, soap, pebbles, thread and bits of clothing.

What causes a child to eat paper?

If someone eats paper, it’s most likely because they have a pica eating disorder. Experts aren’t sure why people eat paper, but we do know that it’s more common in people with: Developmental disorders, such as autism or intellectual disabilities.

What happens if my toddler eats paper?

If your baby or toddler has eaten paper, their life may be in danger, or, they may only have an upset stomach. “Eating an object like paper, which is not sharp, toxic or caustic, is very unlikely to cause a medical problem,” says Irene Tien, MD, a board-certified pediatric ER physician with Mass General Brigham in MA.

Why does my toddler eat paper and cardboard?

Pica is a disorder that goes beyond normal and healthy developmental behaviors. It is characterized by the craving to eat or mouth non-nutritive substances for at least one month, beginning when children are around 18- 24 months. It is common for children with mental difficulties to display pica behavior.

Does pica go away?

In children and pregnant women, pica often goes away in a few months without treatment. If a nutritional deficiency is causing your pica, treating it should ease your symptoms. Pica doesn’t always go away. It can last for years, especially in people who have intellectual disabilities.

Does paper have nutritional value?

For starters, there’s almost no nutritional benefit, according to Massachusetts General Hospital gastroenterologist Dr. Kyle Staller — but it’s not particularly dangerous, either. Paper is mostly composed of cellulose, a harmless organic compound found in plants.

Is eating paper a disorder?

Xylophagia is a condition involving the consumption of paper and form of eating disorder known as pica. Pica is an unusual craving for ingestion of either edible or inedible substances.

How do you treat pica in toddlers?

Put a favorite food on your child’s plate. Reward your child for eating from the plate and not putting the non-food items in his/her mouth. Talk to your child’s doctor or nurse about having his/her iron and zinc status tested. Low levels of these nutrients can contribute to pica.

What are the effects of eating paper?

The condition has been described in medical journals for centuries. [1,2,3] Incidence of pica has also been linked to iron deficiency, zinc deficiency and certain co-morbid conditions like Kleine-Levin syndrome, mental retardation and schizophrenia.

How do I know if my child has pica?

People with pica crave and eat non-food items such as: dirt….These can include:

  1. iron-deficiency anemia.
  2. lead poisoning, from eating dirt or paint chips with lead.
  3. constipation or diarrhea, from eating things the body can’t digest (like hair)
  4. intestinal infections, from eating soil or poop that has parasites or worms.