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| Pica | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pica |
| Field | Psychiatry, Clinical psychology, Nutrition |
| Symptoms | Persistent eating of non-nutritive substances |
| Complications | Gastrointestinal obstruction, lead poisoning, iron deficiency anemia |
| Onset | Childhood, pregnancy, psychiatric disorders |
| Causes | Multifactorial |
| Treatment | Behavioral therapy, nutritional supplementation, psychiatric medication |
Pica Pica is a persistent eating behavior characterized by ingestion of non-nutritive, non-food substances. Clinically relevant in settings such as World Health Organization classifications, American Psychiatric Association diagnostic guidance, and public health surveillance by agencies like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pica intersects with nutritional deficiencies, developmental disorders, and cultural practices.
Pica is defined in diagnostic manuals such as publications by the American Psychiatric Association and described in guidance from the World Health Organization. Classification schemes distinguish pica from related conditions recorded in the International Classification of Diseases and from behaviors seen in syndromes documented by researchers at institutions like National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic. Subtypes include geophagia (dirt), pagophagia (ice), trichophagia (hair), and amylophagia (starch), terms used in case series reported by centers including Johns Hopkins Hospital and Cleveland Clinic. Differential diagnosis considers conditions catalogued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and comorbidities in studies from universities such as Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and University of Oxford.
Epidemiological data derive from surveillance by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, population studies from World Health Organization collaborating centers, and cohort research at institutions like University of California, San Francisco and Columbia University. Prevalence varies by age group in reports from pediatric centers such as Boston Children's Hospital and obstetric cohorts tracked by Kaiser Permanente. Risk factors identified in systematic reviews from organizations including Cochrane and meta-analyses led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University include pregnancy (noted in studies from University of Pennsylvania), developmental disorders managed at Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, and psychiatric comorbidity described in case reports from Massachusetts General Hospital.
Etiological models integrate findings from nutritional research at National Institutes of Health, neurobiological studies at Max Planck Society, and genetic investigations at institutions such as Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Iron deficiency and other micronutrient deficits reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention correlate with pagophagia in clinical reports from University College London Hospitals. Neurodevelopmental contributions are informed by research on Autism spectrum disorder at Karolinska Institutet and on developmental disability at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Psychosocial and cultural drivers are discussed in anthropological fieldwork by scholars affiliated with University of Chicago and London School of Economics.
Clinical diagnosis follows criteria in manuals from the American Psychiatric Association and screening approaches used in primary care guidelines from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Laboratory workups often reference protocols from Mayo Clinic Laboratories and include tests for iron status promoted by World Health Organization. Screening in obstetrics is implemented in programs at hospitals such as Brigham and Women's Hospital and community health models developed by Partners In Health. Specialized diagnostic assessment involves multidisciplinary teams found at centers like Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Seattle Children's Hospital.
Complications reported in case series at Mount Sinai Hospital and forensic analyses by FBI-affiliated toxicology labs include gastrointestinal obstruction observed by surgeons at Johns Hopkins Hospital, heavy metal poisoning documented by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and dental damage reported by teams at University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Maternal-fetal risks are highlighted in obstetric literature from Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and perinatal cohorts tracked by March of Dimes. Psychiatric sequelae feature in follow-up studies from Stanford University and relapse patterns described by clinics at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Management strategies draw on behavioral interventions tested in trials at University of Pennsylvania and psychopharmacology guided by recommendations from the American Psychiatric Association. Nutritional correction protocols used at National Institutes of Health and supplementation programs run by UNICEF address micronutrient deficits. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and habit-reversal techniques are delivered in clinical services at Yale School of Medicine and McLean Hospital, while complex surgical or endoscopic complications are managed in departments at Cleveland Clinic and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Multidisciplinary care models are described in care pathways from Veterans Affairs medical centers and community programs like those piloted by Doctors Without Borders.
Cultural practices such as geophagy have been documented in ethnographic studies by researchers at Smithsonian Institution and in field reports from World Health Organization regional offices. In pregnancy, work from University of Cape Town and University of Nairobi explores prevalence and cultural framing. Pediatric presentations intersect with developmental services at Great Ormond Street Hospital and educational support systems in studies from Ministry of Education programs in various countries. Legal, ethical, and social dimensions are discussed in policy analyses from United Nations agencies and bioethics scholarship at Kennedy Institute of Ethics.
Category:Feeding and eating disorders