We plan to give our babies the best even before they are born. The parents start researching for the baby items months before the baby comes so they can make the right choices. When the baby is born, you will understand that nothing happens in the way you want. Your baby might hate that expensive but cute onesie and will spend more time on your arms than on the crib you brought after hours of research. Welcome to parenting! You are not alone.
The babies explore the world mostly by their mouth. You will realize this when they start to put everything near them into their mouth. No pacifier or teether will stop them from feeding themselves the dirty bits on the floor. To make things worse, there will be unwanted stuff on the floor despite how much you clean every day.
It is normal for babies to put everything in their mouths. But what if your baby does it as a habit and would not mind eating paper all day? My babies did not eat paper but according to my parents, I have eaten a good amount of paper as a baby. Eating papers is not a health problem in most cases even though some cases can be a result of a health condition like Pica.
Keep reading to know why your baby eats paper, what is Pica, and how to diagnose Pica.
CONTENT
1. Why does my baby eat paper?
3. Why should I be concerned about my kid’s Pica?
1. Why does my baby eat paper?
The babies have a developmental timeline of their own. Each baby will hit the milestones at a different pace. But, the factor of age helps to understand why your baby eats paper and other non-food items. ‘
As the baby grows up, he becomes more and more curious about the world. Tasting is one of the easiest ways to feel the world for babies. When your baby can hold up his head and reach nearby objects, he will start to put them in his mouth.
Teething too increases the possibility of the babies eating paper and other stuff that they should not be eating. When a tooth erupts, the gums become swollen and painful. Munching on to something numbs the gum pains of your baby. If your baby is passing the teething stage, it is probably the reason why your baby is eating paper.
Your baby will start crawling and moving around at around the age of six months. When the movements of the body are increased, it will eventually increase the food requirements of your baby. There is a good chance that your baby is not fed enough. Change the feeding schedule of the baby and allow him to eat more. If this fixes the paper eating problem, then your baby was just hungry.
In case all of these reasons are ruled out, your baby might have a condition called Pica.
2. What is Pica?
Pica is a disorder that makes people consume non-food items regularly. This condition is mostly observed among the kids but adults too can have Pica. About 10%-30% of the children between the age of one to six is experiencing Pica making it a very common disorder.
A person with Pica will eat non-food items such as clay, sand, hair, coffee grounds, cigarette ashes, paper, metal animal feces, chalk, glue, and paint. If your baby once ate the play dough at the kindergarten, it does not mean that your baby has Pica.
The abnormal behavior of eating non-food items must persist at least for one month to be confirmed as Pica.
Most of the kids who suffer from Pica have one or more other health problems such as intellectual disabilities, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), or developmental issues. If you are concerned that your baby has Pica, contact your pediatrician to conduct a proper diagnosis.
3. Why should I be concerned about my kid’s Pica?
Pica can impact the health of your baby in many ways. When the baby eats non-food items, his appetite will be reduced causing him to eat less real food. This can lead to malnutrition in babies.
When the baby eats things that do not digest in the stomach, they will block the intestine and injure the internal digestive system. The dirt that falls around the floor definitely has bacteria bulks. If your baby eats them, there is a high chance for infections to happen.
Most non-food items that babies eat can be toxic although the papers are not. Paint, glue, and glitters eaten in large amounts can harm the internal organs of the baby. Eating things with lead and other toxic chemicals can also damage the brain of kids.
4. How to diagnose Pica?
Eating a non-food item once or twice does not mean that your baby has Pica. But if the behavior continues for more than a period of a month you should consider consulting your pediatrician.
The babies with Pica will eat or search for their favorite non-food item even if you hid them from their sight. If this behavior is not appropriate to the developmental stage that your baby is passing, you should meet the pediatrician immediately.
Your pediatrician will carry out physical assessments as the first step. The child will be tested for any nutritional deficiencies such as anemia. You will be directed to a mental health professional to help your child with Pica. Most of the children grow out of Pica with age.