When a Child Eats Non-Food: Pica, Safely Explained
Written by the Inclusive Developmental and Therapy Center therapy team — our Speech & Language Therapist, psychology and ABA staff. Clinical reviewer for this site: Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS (GMC 8023727) · Updated August 2026; this page has changed since our last clinical review.
Babies put things in their mouths. That is how they learn. After about two, persistent eating of things that are not food — dirt, paint, soap, paper, chalk, hair, ice in handfuls — is a different problem. The name is pica. It is a medical and safety issue before it is a behaviour plan.
We are a therapy centre. We do not diagnose pica, we do not run an emergency department, and we will not start a behaviour programme until a doctor has looked. If your child has swallowed something sharp, a battery, or a large amount of anything, that is 1122 or the nearest emergency department now — not WhatsApp.
How common is it?
A large US case-control study (Study to Explore Early Development) looked at children aged 30 to 68 months. Pica was reported in 3.5% of general-population children, 23.2% of children with autism, and 8.4% of children with other developmental disabilities. Inside the autism group it was 28.1% when intellectual disability was also present, and 14.0% when it was not. Children with a developmental disability but neither autism characteristics nor intellectual disability looked like the general population (3.2%).
Those numbers are from one study in one country, in preschoolers. They are not a diagnosis of your child. They are why we take this seriously instead of calling it a phase.
The doctor first — not optional
Ask the paediatrician, clearly, for:
- Iron studies (including ferritin) and a zinc level — a meta-analysis of 43 studies found pica associated with about 2.4 times the odds of anaemia and with lower plasma zinc; the authors could not say which comes first, and treating a deficiency does not always stop the behaviour
- Lead testing if they eat paint, dirt, or live in an old house with peeling paint
- Gut symptoms: constipation, pain, blood, vomiting, a swollen belly
Lead, blockage and poisoning are medical. Behaviour work on top of an untested child is the wrong order. DSM-5 does not diagnose pica under two, because mouthing is typical then. After that, a month of repeated non-food eating that is not part of a cultural practice is the threshold clinicians use.
What you can do at home while you wait for the appointment
- Lock paint, bleach, medicines, batteries and small objects. This is safety, not a personality project
- Watch, do not lecture. Note what, when, and what happened just before
- Offer a safe chew (a chewy tube or a firm snack) if the drive is sensory, once a doctor has said the mouth is not a medical emergency
- Do not use chilli, shouting or “teaching them a lesson”. Shame does not stop pica. It hides it
If the medical work-up is clear and the behaviour is still there, a behaviour plan can help: interrupt, redirect, teach a request, keep the dangerous items gone. That sits with our ABA team under Mahnoor’s plan — Noor Fatima and Atika Zainab deliver those hours. We still will not call it cured.
Related: autism support, intellectual disability, picky eating (a different problem), chewing clothes and pencils (usually sensory, not pica), wandering.
Sources
- Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, et al. Pica, autism, and other disabilities. Pediatrics. 2021;147(2):e20200462. PubMed 33408069
- Miao D, Young SL, Golden CD. A meta-analysis of pica and micronutrient status. American Journal of Human Biology. 2015;27(1):84–93. PubMed 25156147
A consultation about behaviour after the medical checks is Rs 1,500 for up to 50 minutes, Monday to Friday, 2pm to 6pm, in Model Town or online. Contact.
Frequently asked questions
Is eating dirt or paper just a phase?
Under about two, mouthing is typical. After that, a month of repeated non-food eating is pica until a doctor says otherwise. It is more common in preschoolers with autism, especially when intellectual disability is also present. Do not wait it out if they are eating paint, batteries, soap or anything sharp.
What should I ask the paediatrician for?
Iron studies including ferritin, a zinc level, and lead testing if they eat paint or dirt. Mention gut pain, vomiting or constipation. Medical checks come before any behaviour plan.
Can therapy stop pica?
Sometimes a behaviour plan helps once the medical work-up is clear: interrupt, redirect, teach a request, lock the dangerous items. We will not start that until a doctor has looked, and we will not call it cured. Swallowing something dangerous is emergency care, not a therapy session.
Should I punish my child for eating non-food?
No. Shame hides pica. It does not stop it. Keep the house safer, write down what and when, and get the blood tests.