A 3-year-old girl in Wales, UK suffers a rare eating disorder due to which she eats non-edible items like sofa, glass, and sponge.
Wynter A`Hearne, a 3-year-old girl from Blackwood, Wales, UK diagnosed with autism and pica, a rare eating disorder. Wynter's mother, 25-year-old Stacey A`Hearnrne often caught her daughter eating sofa foam, shards of glass, plaster off the walls, wool from inside of her toys, plants, and candle wax. Wynter has also chewed the sides of a high chair and her cot and the blanket that she used to sleep. Quoted by Daily Star, Stacey bought a brand new sofa and Wynter has taken chunks of it.
Wynter’s mother is always on high alert to prevent her child from eating non-edible items. She has also seen her daughter breaking the photo frames and trying to eat shards of glass. She also likes to eat different-shaped pasta.
Stacey said that Wynter was fussy with normal food, but she'd sit and eat a sponge. She smashed about eight photo frames and tried to eat things that she shouldn't. Luckily, she never really hurt herself.
Stacey first observed Wynter putting things in her mouth when she was a baby but it changed into a serious problem when Wynter turned 13 months old. Wynter became non-verbal and her uncommon eating habits developed. In January 2024, she was diagnosed with pica disorder after several medical tests. Pica disorder is most commonly seen in children who have autism.
Wynter craves for different textures. She has severe autism which means she doesn't speak and has some behavioral issues, says Stacey. For her daughter, Stacey bought a chewable necklace, which is specially designed for people who are suffering from Pica.
Pica is a mental health condition, where a person compulsively eats non-food items that don't have any nutritional value. Pica condition is most commonly seen in children. Depending on the condition it can be normal, expected, and harmless. Pica can be treated with lifestyle modification and therapy.
References:
1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22944-pica
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)