AI Article Synopsis
- Pica is a behavioral issue where individuals, often children or pregnant women, eat non-food items; sponge pica is a rare form of this condition.
- A 5-year-old girl from Oman exhibited sponge pica since age two, presenting with abdominal pain and showing signs of anemia and elevated liver enzymes, but maintained normal intelligence.
- After treatment with oral iron therapy, she fully recovered in a few weeks, improved her appetite, gained weight, and showed no recurrence after two years; early detection and treatment of pica are crucial to avoid complications.
Article Abstract
Pica, where the patient eats non-food items such as mud, clay, varnish etc., is a common behavioural problem seen in children, pregnant women and the mentally retarded. However sponge pica is a very rare variation. We report a case of a 5-year-old Omani girl, who presented with sponge pica since the age of two years, with recent abdominal pain. Investigations showed anaemia, elevated liver enzymes and normal intelligence. There was no evidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Both clinical and laboratory findings showed complete recovery after a few weeks of oral iron therapy. Her appetite improved, and she started to gain weight. No recurrence was observed when followed up after two years. Awareness is necessary to detect and treat pica as early as possible to prevent its complications.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3174723 | PMC |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!