The Pica (disorder) reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Pica (disorder)

Pica is an abnormal appetite for earth and other non-foods. The condition's name comes from the Latin word for the bird we call a magpie which is reputed to eat almost anything. Pica is common in small children, and occasionally in pregnant women. In extreme forms it is regarded as a medical disorder.

Examples of pica are:

• geophagy (consumption of soil)
• mucophagy (consumption of mucus)
• trichophagia (consumption of hair or wool)
• coprophagia (consumption of excrement)
• amylophagia (consumption of starch)
• pagophagia (consumption of ice)
• please add more examples to this list

Pregnant women have been known to develop strong cravings for soil, chalk, laundry starch, and other non-foods. Some theorize that the women may be craving trace minerals lacking in their system, but there have been no major studies on this.

Warning: pica in children, while common, can be dangerous: children eating painted plaster may suffer brain damage from lead poisoning from lead in the paint. In additon to posioning, there is also a much elevated risk of gastro-intestinal obstruction or perforation.

External link

• Hundreds of coins found in patient's belly

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