Published by: Autism Parenting Magazine
Written by: Claire Delano

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably seen your child put something in his/her mouth that isn’t food. During the mouthing stage before the age of two, it’s normal for curious babies to try and chew on just about everything. But when children try to actually eat non-food items past this stage of development, they may have an eating disorder known as pica (pronounced “pie-kuh”).

Pica is a dangerous, potentially life-threatening behavior for anyone. Depending on what objects are ingested, young children may face nutritional deficiencies, choking, poisoning, parasites, blood infections, intestinal blockages or perforations, etc. These problems can require hospital visits, surgery, and may even cause death.

In this article, we’ll explore what exactly pica is, what may cause it, and how you can help your child with autism if it’s something he/she struggles with. Click here to read the rest of the story.