How do you treat pica in toddlers?

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asked Nov 5, 2020 in Toddler/Preschooler by ggmgm (1,120 points)
How do you treat pica in toddlers?

1 Answer

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answered Nov 11, 2020 by Chambliss (54,900 points)
Pica in toddlers is usually treated through mild aversion therapy.

When a toddler is eating other things with no nutritional value you need to take the substance away and then give them something more nutritious to eat such as a carrot, apple etc.

Eventually the toddler will usually outgrow the Pica but sometimes Pica can be lifelong and only therapy can really help someone who has Pica.

When you do mild aversion therapy for your toddler with Pica you then reward the toddler for eating normal foods.

Some medicines can also help a toddler or child who has Pica so consult with the toddlers or child's pediatrician about the Pica.

Pica is a psychological disorder that is characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive, such as ice (pagophagia); hair, (trichophagia); paper (xylophagia); drywall or paint; sharp objects (acuphagia); metal (metallophagia); stones (lithophagia) or soil (geophagia); glass .

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