Charlie's mother took horrifying photos to show large chunks missing from sponges, photos, and even plastic bucket (Pic: The Sun)
An 11-year-old British boy was diagnosed with an eating disorder, Pica, after his mother found him eating household items, including sponges, screws, and wallpaper. According to Eileen Lamb, she first spotted her son Charlie eating dog food at the age of five. Initially, Eileen said she believed it to be a "one-off" incident, but later she found Charlie nibbling on more bizarre things, like his used nappies. Eventually, she took him to a doctor, who diagnosed Charlie with pica.
Pica is a mental health condition where a person compulsively swallows non-food items and is common in children. Doctors say even though it is often harmless, swallowing certain items can make pica very hazardous.
Eileen took horrifying photos to show large chunks missing from sponges, photos, and even a blue plastic bucket from when Charlie decided to eat the household items. She has now started to lock all cupboards and hide major items like toilet paper to stop Charlie from eating it. Eileen says a screw was discovered lodged in her son's colon during an endoscopy, and she had no idea that he had swallowed it.
What caused pica in Charlie?
Doctors say even though the cause of Charlie’s pica is unknown, he was also diagnosed with autism when he was almost two years old. According to studies, pica is more frequently diagnosed in children with learning difficulties and is associated with autism spectrum disorder.
Experts say it is also associated with other mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder and iron deficiency. "With Charlie, it is so extreme he would tear off the walls [to eat]. We have had to take everything out of his room. I have to put everything away and we can't have any decorated items in the house,” Eileen told The Sun.
"We have locks on all of our cabinets, so he doesn't try to open them. Even toilet paper has to be put out of reach,” she added.
How does pica affect your body?
Since it is a compulsive condition, doctors say those with it have a very hard time controlling the urge on their own. Pica can have a wide range of effects depending on what non-food items a person eats. For people who eat things like ice, pica is harmless, but it can lead to eating dangerous or toxic items as well.
Depending on what you eat, pica can damage your teeth and oral health. It can also lead to dangerous problems even when you eat things that are not toxic, as experts fear things may get in your digestive tract, causing blockages, tearing, or other damage.
Parasites that live in the soil can also infect people who eat dirt or clay.
Signs and symptoms of pica
The sole symptom of pica is compulsively eating things that are not food or have no nutritional value or benefit. However, pica causes other conditions or issues as well, which have their own sets of symptoms.
- Anemia
- Roundworm infection
- Constipation
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Lead poisoning
- Small and large intestine blockage
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