Pica is the eating of non-food substances. Clay, dirt, ice, sand, animal feces, paint, and hairballs are just a few examples of what children and adults with pica have been known to eat.
Signs and tests:
There is no single test that confirms pica, but because pica is associated with abnormal nutritient levels and in some cases malnutrition, blood levels of iron and zinc should be tested.
Hemoglobin can also be checked to test for anemia. Lead levels should always be checked in children who may have eaten paint or objects covered in lead-paint dust. The presence of infection may be detected if contaminated soil or animal waste is being ingested.
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