Health · England
Pica: eating things that are not food
Your browser or device provides the reading voice.
Pica means repeatedly eating things that are not food.
You can ask for help to stay safe.
What pica means
People with pica may eat things such as paper, soil or hair.
Children and adults can have pica.
Eating these things can make you very ill.
They can cause choking, poisoning or a blocked bowel.
Some problems do not show straight away.
Get urgent help
Go to A&E straight away if you may have swallowed a battery, magnet or sharp object.
Do not wait to feel ill.
Call 999 if someone collapses, has a seizure or cannot breathe properly.
Tell the call handler what happened.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you may have swallowed something harmful.
This includes harmful chemicals or medicines taken in unsafe amounts.
Call NHS 111 if you are unsure whether something is harmful.
Do not make someone sick after they swallow something harmful.
Do not give food or drink while waiting for advice about poisoning.
Keep the packaging for health staff if you can.
Ask for a health check
Ask your GP to check your health.
Tell them what you eat and how often.
They may check whether your body is missing nutrients.
People should try to understand what helps you.
They should check pain, worries and sensory needs.
They should not blame or punish you.
Make and review your support plan
Make a plan to reduce danger.
Keep dangerous items safely stored.
Your support should fit your needs and respect your rights.
Your team can help you communicate what you need.
You may need help asking for a break, food or company.
A specialist may help you find safer activities or sensory support.
They must check that alternatives are safe for you.
Check whether your support is helping.
Your comfort, health and everyday activities matter too.
Ask for more help if things change.
Share your plan with people who support you.
They need to know what to do in an emergency.
What you can do next
Ask for a health check and a support plan.
Get emergency help after dangerous swallowing.
Read more about pica support Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- Challenging Behaviour Foundation: pica Web page
Information about assessment and support for people with severe learning disabilities.
- NHS: poisoning Web page
When to get emergency help and what to do while waiting.
- Devon NHS: managing pica (PDF) PDF
A guide for parents and carers of a young person with a learning disability.
- NHS: iron deficiency anaemia Web page
Symptoms, assessment and treatment when iron deficiency is present.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Pica: eating non-food items and getting safe support
Recognising pica, urgent risks, health assessment and respectful support for children and adults.
Children and adults · England · Suspected harmful ingestion needs prompt medical help
What is pica?
Pica involves repeatedly eating substances that are not food, such as soil, paper, hair, fabric or faeces. Diagnosis considers persistence for at least a month, developmental stage and whether the practice is culturally accepted. Young children exploring objects with their mouths are not automatically diagnosed with pica. Dangerous ingestion needs help immediately; do not wait a month before seeking advice.
Who can be affected?
Children and adults can experience pica. It can occur alongside learning disability or autism, but is not inevitable with either. A person may also eat ordinary meals. Pica is different from ARFID, which involves restricted food intake, and from the persistent hunger associated with Prader–Willi syndrome. These difficulties can coexist and need individual assessment.
Why it can be dangerous
Risks depend on the item and amount: choking, poisoning, bowel blockage or injury, infection and dental damage are possible. Hair or fabric can build up inside the digestive tract. An apparently small object can still cause serious harm. Symptoms may be delayed, so seeming well immediately afterwards does not establish safety. Share what may have been swallowed with clinicians.
Get emergency help for dangerous items
Go to A&E immediately if a battery, magnet or sharp object may have been swallowed. Do not wait for pain or search through poo first. Call 999 for choking with severe breathing difficulty, collapse, loss of consciousness or a seizure. Tell the call handler exactly what happened and follow their instructions. Repeated vomiting, severe abdominal pain or signs of obstruction also need urgent emergency assessment.
Suspected poisoning and uncertainty
NHS guidance says to call 999 or go to A&E if someone may have swallowed something harmful, such as chemicals or medicines. Call NHS 111 immediately if you are unsure whether what was swallowed is harmful. Do not make the person vomit or give food or drink while awaiting advice about poisoning. Keep packaging or an example safely available for clinicians.
Ask for a health assessment
Tell the GP what is eaten, how often, when it started and any changes in health. Ask about nutrition, anaemia, dental problems, constipation and other relevant conditions. Iron deficiency can be associated with pica; clinicians may consider tests for iron, zinc or other problems. Do not assume every case is a deficiency or start supplements without professional advice.
Understand what happens around it
A specialist assessment should explore sensory experiences, anxiety, communication, environment and what the person gains or avoids. Keep brief factual notes about items, place, time, what happened beforehand and the response afterwards. Include situations where pica does not occur. Avoid labelling someone attention-seeking or naughty. An explanation is a working hypothesis to review, not a reason to ignore physical illness.
Reduce hazards with an agreed plan
Check environments for the items the person is likely to eat, including batteries, magnets, medicines, cleaning products and small objects. Agree storage, cleaning and supervision across settings. Plan for unfamiliar places and transitions. Explain arrangements accessibly and use proportionate, lawful support. Restricting every activity or constantly searching someone is not a substitute for an individual assessment and regular review.
Offer support that meets the underlying need
Use the person’s communication system to help them ask for food, a break, company or another activity. Predictable routines and meaningful activities may help. A suitably qualified team can assess sensory alternatives with swallowing and choking safety in mind. Do not introduce chew items, altered food textures or other substitutes simply because they helped someone else. Avoid punishment, humiliation or force.
Get the right team involved
Ask the GP or community learning-disability team about coordinated support. Depending on need, this may involve a dietitian, psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, dentist or paediatrician. A positive behaviour support plan should address health, communication and quality of life. Ask who coordinates it, trains supporters and checks whether the agreed support actually happens.
Review risks and the effect of support
Record relevant incidents and medical advice without turning everyday life into surveillance. Agree what information is necessary, who sees it and when the plan will be reviewed. Check injuries, nutrition, distress, opportunities and restrictions as well as incident numbers. Seek reassessment if the pattern changes, health worsens or the plan is ineffective. Increased control alone is not a successful outcome.
Prepare for outings, respite and hospital
Keep an accessible plan explaining likely items, early signs, helpful responses and emergency contacts. Share necessary information with the person’s involvement and appropriate permission. Ensure new supporters know when to seek emergency help. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation offers pica information and support for families; local NHS teams provide assessment and treatment. Ask for help early rather than managing serious risks alone.
Words you could use
“Please check health and nutritional causes, assess what may lead to pica, and agree safe support and emergency instructions with me.”
More useful links
- Challenging Behaviour Foundation: pica Web page
Information about assessment and support for people with severe learning disabilities.
- NHS: poisoning Web page
When to get emergency help and what to do while waiting.
- Devon NHS: managing pica (PDF) PDF
A guide for parents and carers of a young person with a learning disability.
- NHS: iron deficiency anaemia Web page
Symptoms, assessment and treatment when iron deficiency is present.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- CPFT NHS: pica overview Web page
Definition, developmental context, harms and seeking assessment.
- Devon NHS: managing pica (PDF) PDF
Individual assessment, environmental safety, observation and support.
- Challenging Behaviour Foundation: pica and polydipsia Web page
Health and mineral-deficiency checks, specialist assessment and sensory or environmental factors.
- NHS: iron deficiency anaemia Web page
Pica can be associated with iron deficiency; testing and treatment depend on clinical assessment.
- NHS: poisoning Web page
Emergency triage, delayed symptoms, no induced vomiting and uncertainty about harmful substances.
- NHS Healthier Together: swallowed objects Web page
Emergency risks from batteries, magnets, large or sharp objects and serious symptoms.
- NHS England: strong magnet safety alert Web page
Urgent assessment and treatment after ingestion of powerful magnets.
- NICE NG11: recommendations Web pageProfessional guidance
Functional assessment, person-centred support, least restriction and quality-of-life outcomes.
- NHS: Mental Capacity Act Web pageFuller information
Supported decisions and safeguards where adults cannot make a particular decision.