There comes a point in time when some young children eat nonfood items. This disorder may last for a month or longer. This eating disorder is known as Pica.
To add to your vocabulary, Pica actually comes from the Latin word given for magpie. Magpies, as we all know, have large
appetites. They eat just about anything.
Furthermore, Pica is common to children suffering from mental retardatio and autism. Some children aged 2-3 may also have this eating disorder. You may notice that some children between 18-24 months try to ingest nonfood items. This, however, doesn't mean that they have Pica.
Some non-food items that may be eaten by children with Pica include: cigarette ashes, hair, paper, baking soda, chalk, dirt, paper, clay, toothpaste, feces, etc.
