Pica(disorder)FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopediaJumptonavigationJumptosearchCompulsiveeatingofnon-fooditemsMedicalconditionPicaStomachcontentsofapsychiatricpatientwithpica:1,446items,including"453nails,42screws,safetypins,spoontops,andsaltandpeppershakertops."Pronunciation/ˈpaɪkə/PY-kəSpecialtyPsychiatryPica(/ˈpaɪkə/PIE-kuh)[1]isapsychologicaldisordercharacterizedbyanappetiteforsubstancesthatarelargelynon-nutritive.[2]Thesubstancemaybebiologicalsuchashair(trichophagia)orfeces(coprophagia),naturalsuchasice(pagophagia)ordirt(geophagia),andotherwisechemicalormanmade(aslistedbelow).ThetermoriginatesfromtheLatinwordpica("magpie"),fromtheconceptthatmagpieswilleatalmostanything.[3]AccordingtoDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders,5thEdition(DSM-5)criteria,fortheseactionstobeconsideredpica,theymustpersistformorethanonemonthatanagewheneatingsuchobjectsisconsidereddevelopmentallyinappropriate,notpartofculturallysanctionedpractice,andsufficientlyseveretowarrantclinicalattention.Picamayleadtointoxicationinchildren,whichcanresultinanimpairmentofbothphysicalandmentaldevelopment.[4]Inaddition,itmaycausesurgicalemergenciestoaddressintestinalobstructions,aswellasmoresubtlesymptomssuchasnutritionaldeficienciesandparasitosis.[4]Picahasbeenlinkedtoothermentalandemotionaldisorders.Stressorssuchasemotionaltrauma,maternaldeprivation,familyissues,parentalneglect,pregnancy,andadisorganizedfamilystructure[failedverification]arestronglylinkedtopicaasaformofcomfort.[5]Picaismostcommonlyseeninpregnantwomen,[6]smallchildren,andpeoplewhomayhavedevelopmentaldisabilitiessuchasautism.[7]Childreneatingpaintedplastercontainingleadmaysufferbraindamagefromleadpoisoning.Asimilarriskexistsfromeatingsoilnearroadsthatexistedbeforethephase-outoftetraethylleadorthatweresprayedwithoil(tosettledust)contaminatedbytoxicPCBsordioxin.Inadditiontopoisoning,amuchgreaterriskexistsofgastrointestinalobstructionortearinginthestomach.Anotherriskofeatingsoilistheingestionofanimalfecesandaccompanyingparasites.Picaca