Pica disorder is categorized as an eating disorder, one where children eat non-food items on a regular basis for at least one month. There are several potential causes of Pica disorder, many of them developmental, which lends itself to the strong correlation between Pica eating disorder and autism.
Understanding the Link Between Autism and Pica Disorder
For autism spectrum disorder, a diagnosis usually takes place when that individual presents with deficits in social communication, social interaction, restrictive and repetitive patterns of behavior, and symptoms that develop early in life. Some examples include the following:
- Deficits in reciprocating social or emotional feelings, including a failure to respond properly to social interactions or reduced sharing of Interest with other people.
- Nonverbal communicative deficits with social interactions, such as poor understanding of body language or facial expressions, abnormal facial expressions exchanged during social situations, and abnormal body language or eye contact.
- Deficits in maintaining or understanding relationships.
- Stereotyped or repetitive movements or speech like flipping objects.
- Insisting on an inflexible routine, one that has patterns and causes significant distress if changed at all.
- Highly restricted and fixated interests are usually on things that are unusual and with an abnormal intensity or focus.
- Hyperactivity or hypoactivity to sensory input.
Autism diagnoses require these symptoms to cause clinically significant impairment and distress across occupational, social, and daily functions not explained by any other condition.
With a worldwide prevalence of around 1%, there are cases where individuals have autism and pica disorder, with an obsession over unusual things and an inflexible routine centering on eating things that are not food.
Symptoms and Risks of Pica Disorder in Children with Autism
The strong correlation between Autism and pica disorder has to do with developmental disorders. There is a high correlation between developmental disorders and pica, where children struggle to differentiate between non-edible and edible foods or seek out sensory input that helps temporarily relieve their discomfort.
If, for example, a child with Pica disorder autism might be very sensitive to a type of texture or taste and in order to get that texture or taste they consume non-food items that mimic it. If four-year-olds like smooth feelings, they might start to eat soap because of the smoothness of the liquid soap, and they may have pica disorder and autism.
This type of sensory feedback is usually the most common reason that children develop pica eating disorder and autism, but it can also be that difficulty differentiating or that genuine craving brought about by a nutritional deficiency.
Diagnosing Pica Disorder in Children with Autism
Diagnosing pica disorder and autism can be tricky, but it requires intervention from medical or mental health professionals who can sit down and review eating behaviors, their frequency, severity, and other symptoms.
Effective Strategies for Managing Autism and Pica Disorder
If diagnosed with autism and Pica disorder, there are several practical steps that can be taken to manage the conditions.
Behavioral Interventions
Behavioral interventions can help promote better self-soothing behaviors, such as teaching a child to self-soothe with something other than eating non-food items.
Behavioral interventions are things that a family can do at home like teaching children with autism and pica disorder to identify foods that are safe and edible.
However, sometimes the behavioral interventions include working with a specialist who can help children build healthy, alternative behaviors and redirection behaviors.
Sensory Processing Support
Other options might include sensory processing support, where children can redirect non-food items and turn toward food items or replace them with safer alternatives.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational therapy can help with things like nutritional supplements and sensory management.
Nutritional and Medical Interventions
If you notice these symptoms of a child regularly eating non-food items or you notice Pica-related health problems, you should always speak with a doctor immediately.
Dietary Adjustments
In some cases you might need to make dietary adjustments especially if blood tests or other evaluation measures indicate a nutritional deficiency as the cause behind eating non-food items.
Moreover, dietary adjustments can help substitute food items based on things like texture preferences or taste preferences for the non-food items that your child might be eating.
Medical Interventions
In some cases, medical interventions are necessary, particularly if there are severe health consequences like lead poisoning or other types of poisoning brought about by eating non-food items.
Environmental Safety Measures
In addition to nutritional and medical interventions, there are environmental safety measures that you can employ as a family member or caregiver.
Home Safety Precautions
Home safety precautions can help “pica-proof” the environment where your child lives. This extends to placing items that a child is likely to eat or has been eating out of sight or locked away where they cannot be accessed.
For example, if a child is biting the wheels off toy cars, all of those cars would need to be locked away and if used during playtime thereafter, only done so with proper supervision.
Additional home safety precautions might extend to special locks on all cupboards and more frequent cleaning like sweeping and vacuuming to remove items from the floor that a child might access.
Monitoring Strategies
If you have a child with Pica eating disorder and autism, part of your monitoring strategies include telling teachers and other caregivers about the condition so everyone can be on the lookout for the potential consumption of non-food items and utilize selective strategies and safety measures.
Teachers and other caregivers can also “pica-proof” classrooms by doing things like getting extra storage containers, moving certain items that a child is eating out of reach, or hiring an assistant to work in the classroom.
When to Seek Professional Help for Autism and Pica Disorder
There are some indicators that professional intervention is necessary, and this includes extreme situations where a child is no longer eating real food, where they are presenting with illness or other health ramifications because of the non-food items they consume, or where there are nutritional deficiencies as a direct result.
There are dozens of professional resources available for parents and caregivers of children with pica and autism, including behavioral therapists, pediatricians, and autism specialists.
Summing Up
Overall, there are several effective strategies for managing autism and Pica disorder including working with behavioral specialists, teaching children to differentiate between food and non-food, finding alternative ways of self-soothing, removing items that are easily accessed, coordinating with other caregivers and teachers, and ensuring that the home is safe.
If you have a child presenting with Pica eating disorder and autism, it’s best to be proactive in order to ensure their safety and well-being by getting a correct diagnosis and starting an effective, personalized treatment plan.