Allotriophagy
(an abnormal desire to eat "unnatural" things for food)
The Persistent Eating of Non-nutritive Substances
Eating Disorders or Eating Non-nutritive Substances, or Nonfood Items.
Pica is an eating disorder typically defined as the persistent eating of non-nutritive substances for a period of at least one month at an age in which this behavior is developmentally inappropriate; for example, 18-24 months. The definition occasionally is broadened to include the mouthing of non-nutritive substances.
Individuals involved with pica have been reported to mouth and/or ingest a wide variety of nonfood substances, including, but not limited to, clay, dirt, sand, stones, pebbles, hair, feces, lead, laundry starch, vinyl gloves, plastic, pencil erasers, ice, fingernails, paper, paint chips, coal, chalk, wood, plaster, light bulbs, needles, string, cigarette butts, wire, and burnt matches.
The following contents present a mixture and/or the causes and results of allotriophagy
Swallowing mucus.
A form of pica characterized by the compulsive eating of large quantities of ice: A pagophagia may be associated with iron-deficiency anemia.
The swallowing or consumption of lead.
A rare condition in which one's own body parts are being bitten off and swallowed.
The practice, or habit, of biting or eating hair or wool.
Drinking urine.
The devouring of wood.
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