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Pica

Treatment: First, any nutritional deficiencies and other medical problems, such as lead toxicity, should be addressed. Treatment emphasizes psychosocial, environmental, and family guidance approaches. Other successful treatments include mild aversion therapy (associating the pica behavior with bad consequences or punishment) followed by positive reinforcement for appropriate eating. Text Continues Below Medications may help reduce the abnormal eating behavior, if pica occurs in the course of a developmental disorder such as mental retardation or pervasive developmental disorder. Expectations (prognosis): Treatment success varies. In many cases, the disorder lasts several months, then resolves spontaneously. In some cases, it may continue into adolescence or adulthood, particularly when associated with developmental disorders. Complications: malnutrition lead toxicity infection bezoar (a hardened mass of the substance in the stomach) intestinal obstruction Calling your health care provider: Call your health care provider if you notice that a child (or adult) has a persistent tendency to eat non-nutritive substances.

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