La pica es un tipo de fagia que consiste, según el Manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales (DSM-V), en un trastorno de la ingestión y de la conducta alimentaria. Conocido como una variante de un tipo de trastorno alimentario en el que existe un deseo irresistible de comer o lamer sustancias no nutritivas y poco usuales como tierra, tiza, yeso, virutas de la pintura, bicarbonato de soda, almidón, pegamento, moho, cenizas de cigarrillo, papel o cualquier otra cosa que no tiene, en apariencia, ningún valor alimenticio.

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Pica is characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive, such as ice (pagophagia); hair (trichophagia); paper (papyrophagia); drywall or paint; metal (metallophagia); stones (lithophagia) or earth (geophagia); glass (hyalophagia); or feces (coprophagia); and chalk. According to DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) criteria, for these actions to be considered pica, they must persist for more than one month at an age where eating such objects is considered developmentally inappropriate, not part of culturally sanctioned practice and sufficiently severe to warrant clinical attention. It can lead to intoxication in children, which can result in an impairment in both physical and mental development. In addition, it can also lead to surgical emergencies due to an intestinal obstruction as well as more subtle symptoms such as nutritional deficiencies and parasitosis. Pica has been linked to other mental and emotional disorders. Stressors such as emotional trauma, maternal deprivation, family issues, parental neglect, pregnancy, and a disorganized family structure are strongly linked to pica as a form of comfort. Pica is most commonly seen in pregnant women, small children, and those with developmental disabilities such as autism. Children eating painted plaster containing lead may suffer brain damage from lead poisoning. There is a similar risk from eating soil near roads that existed before tetraethyllead in petrol was phased out (in some countries) or before people stopped using contaminated oil (containing toxic PCBs or dioxin) to settle dust. In addition to poisoning, there is also a much greater risk of gastro-intestinal obstruction or tearing in the stomach. Another risk of eating soil is the ingestion of animal feces and accompanying parasites. Pica can also be found in other animals and is commonly found in dogs.

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