Am I panicking over nothing? 🙈
9 answers /
Last post: 06/06/2022 at 6:08 am
Hi,
So my little girl is 2 and half & my reason for this post is she likes to eat paper ….. bare with me 🤣. I thought it was just the odd thing like kids do but it’s become daily where she now asks for paper to eat (clean toilet paper still rank 🤮), she will take chunks out of books like it’s steak and eat takeaway menus…. I’m making a joke but I’m honestly concerned now Iv done the dreaded Google search which comes up with a disorder called PICA ? Anyone had any first hand experience of this? Her dad thinks I’m mental as usual but I know my child and I don’t think it’s a phase. Any advice welcome & just to add she’s well fed with a wide range of foods she just chooses paper 🙄
Hi Chelsea,
We've moved your thread into our drop-in clinic - baby and child health board, so you can get the advice and support you need.
Hi Chelsea,
We've moved your thread into our drop-in clinic - baby and child health board, so you can get the advice and support you need.
Thank you very much 😘
Hi Chelsea,
How long have you noticed this behaviour?
It would be worth speaking with your GP who can take a more detailed assessment and history for your little one. When children display behaviours like this it is always best to rule out anything medical before trying to implement any behavioural strategies.
Whilst you wait for your GP appointment , keep a food diary inc. non edible items so you can help build a picture of your LOs habit's.
Has your LO had her 2 year review with the health visiting team? How is her development? Do you have any other worries or concerns for her at the moment?
Does she eat paper when in other places other than home?
I hope your able to see your GP soon to help uncover possible reasons for this behaviour.
All the best
Emma
Hi Chelsea,
this does indeed sound like PICA, and should be checked out by your GP. This could be due to an iron deficiency, a neurodiversity or a number of other things. It’s not massively uncommon but eating paper can be dangerous and a sign of an underlying issue so please do get it checked out! Best of luck - hope you get it sorted :)
My son was exactly like this he used to put absolutely everything in his mouth little squishy trash pack figures, rubbers, money, marbles, ball bearings any thing small really. He used to eat the little raisin boxes among other paper things. One day I caught him with the whole cord from a legoland driving licence in his mouth. I was terrified he would choke he used to do it in secret. He was referred for picca when he was about 4/5 I can’t remember exactly they decided as at the time as he didn’t have down syndrome or any obvious autistic traits (it’s more common in children like that) it was just a very bad habit. They wanted to know if he had reached his development milestones, behaviours and stuff like that. He did grow out of it eventually. he is 15 now and is currently suspected to be on the spectrum but that’s only become apparent in the last couple of years. I would definitely get it looked into you know your child best, they could have a deficiency in something or it could be a habit. no harm in checking. Xx
Hi Chelsea,
this does indeed sound like PICA, and should be checked out by your GP. This could be due to an iron deficiency, a neurodiversity or a number of other things. It’s not massively uncommon but eating paper can be dangerous and a sign of an underlying issue so please do get it checked out! Best of luck - hope you get it sorted :)
Thank you! I’m going to take her to the GP as soon as possible I have been in the process of changing GPS as I was removed from mine in lockdown due to distance and haven’t managed to sign up to another but I’m going to do it today as a priority. Thanks x
My son was exactly like this he used to put absolutely everything in his mouth little squishy trash pack figures, rubbers, money, marbles, ball bearings any thing small really. He used to eat the little raisin boxes among other paper things. One day I caught him with the whole cord from a legoland driving licence in his mouth. I was terrified he would choke he used to do it in secret. He was referred for picca when he was about 4/5 I can’t remember exactly they decided as at the time as he didn’t have down syndrome or any obvious autistic traits (it’s more common in children like that) it was just a very bad habit. They wanted to know if he had reached his development milestones, behaviours and stuff like that. He did grow out of it eventually. he is 15 now and is currently suspected to be on the spectrum but that’s only become apparent in the last couple of years. I would definitely get it looked into you know your child best, they could have a deficiency in something or it could be a habit. no harm in checking. Xx
i have 0 other concerns about her as she is hitting all her milestones and then some as she’s got her older brother to teach her. She is however obsessed with eating paper not any specific type but she would rather eat the Mac Donald’s box than the food. I should have mentioned in the above I myself have been on iron tablets for over 3 years now since i was pregnant with her as i have really low iron I don’t know weather I could have passed it down to her 😩
I used to do this as a little child. I honestly remember finding certain types of paper better than others! I can’t remember when I started but I was very little. I do remember that I wasn’t hungry, I just wanted something in my mouth, and paper was very available. Possibly connected with stopping having a dummy? I grew out of it. Well, I think I got old enough for chewing gum, and that replaced it.