psychiatric disorders
Pica
Diagnosis of Pica
Clinical criteria ( Diagnosis reference ) Pica is diagnosed when A patient persistently eats nonnutritive, nonfood material for≥1 month. Ingestion of these materials is inappropriate for the developmental level of the patient. Ingestion of these materials is not part of a cultural tradition. If ingestion occurs in a patient with another disorder, it is sufficiently persistent and severe to warrant specific treatment. Pica is not diagnosed in children<2 years because at that age, eating such materials is considered part of normal development. If doctors suspect pica, they evaluate nutritional status to check for weight loss and nutritional deficiencies. Sometimes pica is diagnosed when patients have symptoms of intestinal obstruction (eg, severe cramping, constipation), lead poisoning, or parasitic infestation that trigger a trip to the emergency department or a clinician. Tests may be done based on the patient's symptoms and/or the substances ingested. They include blood tests to check for lead poisoning when paint chips have been eaten and stool tests to detect parasitic infestation when soil has been eaten. 1.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision, DSM-5-TRTM, Feeding and eating disorders. 