

If you think your child might have ASD or you think there could be a problem with the way your child plays, learns, speaks, or acts, contact your child’s doctor and share your concerns. If You’re Concerned About Your Child’s Development


Pica can lead to serious medical and surgical problems, including gastrointestinal parasites, lead toxicity, nutritional deficiencies, choking, poisoning, intestinal obstruction, and perforation resulting in surgery, and even a blood infection, which can be life-threatening.

2 Data also showed that GI symptoms were more common among children with ASD who ate non-food items however, pica behavior did not fully explain the increased risk for GI symptoms among children with ASD and other developmental disabilities. 2 In a recent study, almost 1 in 4 parents of young children with ASD reported that it was sometimes or often true that their child ate non-food items and about 1 in 10 parents reported it was often true. 1 Another less well-known issue among young children with ASD, ASD characteristics, and/or intellectual disability is pica, a condition in which a person repeatedly eats things that aren’t food such as dirt, paint chips, and clay. Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain, also may be more common among children with ASD. Such findings offer strong support of iron deficiency as a cause, rather than result, of pica.Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability characterized by varying degrees of difficulties with social, emotional, and communication skills. In addition, low blood levels of iron commonly occur in pregnant women and those with poor nutrition, two populations at higher risk for pica. Another study looked specifically at the rate of iron absorption during pica conditions and normal dietary behavior, and showed that the iron absorption was not decreased by pica. However, some studies have shown that pica cravings in individuals with iron deficiency stop once iron supplements are given to correct the deficiency. Because some substances, such as clay, are believed to block the absorption of iron into the bloodstream, it was thought that low blood levels of iron could be the direct result of pica. Several reports have described pica in individuals with documented iron deficiency, although there has been uncertainty as to whether the iron deficiency was a cause of pica or a result of it. One widely held theory points to iron deficiency as a major cause of pica. Evidence suggests that there may be several causes of pica.
