Pica

Wow...it has been a while since I've posted here, but we have sure been busy! Now that school is out for the summer, I don't know if it will help to make posting easier or more difficult. =) I am simply making random posts and a lot of the times, I think of them due to the presence of the subject during my day. PLEASE...if there is any particular area you would like for me to discuss here, don't hesitate to ask. You may have questions that I would never think of because I am so use to dealing with everyday tidbits. Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. I will try to be as honest in my posting as possible.

Pica...anyone know what that is? According to Wikipedia, Pica is a medical disorder characterized by an appetite for substances largely non-nutritive (e.g., clay, coal, soil, feces, chalk, paper, soap, mucus, ash, gum etc.) or an abnormal appetite for some things that may be considered foods, such as food ingredients (e.g., flour, raw potato, raw rice, starch, ice cubes, salt, blood). It is not uncommon to see Pica in children with developmental disabilities, but there are typically developing individuals who have Pica as well. I consider Matthew to have Pica, even though he's never been officially diagnosed. Matthew has eaten a WIDE variety of "stuff" that is definitely not appropriate in his time. Some things I could mention would make your toes curl, so I'll not go there. Some of the tamer of items include: grass, sand, dirt, ladybugs...eewww...paint, playdoh, deodorant...get the idea?! (He also tends to chew on his shirt.) Now, people who have 'true' pica, tend to crave their particular item. Matthew doesn't so much go out looking for a wad of grass to chew on, but if the opportunity presents itself, he will take advantage of the situation. On more than one occasion, I have told him he is not a goat and to quit eating the grass =) Pica does have the tendency to be dangerous, obviously, if the person tends to eat something that is toxic, and also if they eat paint or dirt that could be contaminated with lead. Matthew has been tested for lead poisoning before, and it will be something that I will probably have him tested for a little later as well, just because of his tendency to pick up things and eat them. It can also just be a pain trying to keep things put out of reach....playdoh has to be hidden well because that's a Matthew favorite! =)