Pica is the tendency to eat non-nutritive things over a period of at least one month without an aversion to normal food.
The term is derived from Latin and named after a bird.
Geophagia- it is the pica of eating of clay.
Pagophagia is eating of ice.
Amylophagia is eating of starch.
Predisposing factors
X Lack of parenteral nurturing
X Iron deficiency
X Low socio economic group
X Autistic children
X Mental retardation
Usually eating substances are
X Clay
X Wall plaster
X Paint
X Ash
X Pencil
X Lead
X Soap
X Earth
X Mud
Management
Check for nutritional anemia, worm infestation and other predisposing factors.
Furthermore, check for the complication of pica like lead poisoning.
Treatment
Homeopathic is highly effective to remove this craving for undigested things,
Effective medicines are Cina, Sulphur, Graphits, Calc carb, etc..... The selection of medicines depends up on the craving things, and also depends upon the nature to the patient.
Since the homeopathic medicine route out the cause the cure is permanent.
