Does anyone know of any medical or mental condition that would explain my roommate's son's chewing compulsion?

Question

Food wise ... my roommate's 16 year old son has the diet of a child. He will only eat chicken nuggets and pizza. Yet he eats almost any non-food items, such as paper napkins, plastic bags, his socks, his shirts, his bedding, pillows, towels, etc.etc., that he can get his hands on. Originally I thought he was doing it unconsciously. That maybe it was some nervous habit thing that he wasn't aware of. But as I've gotten to know him, and by his own admission, he is perfectly aware of it but says he doesn't know why he does it. The whole limited food thing seems to be an immaturity thing. As I would think chewing would be too. But if so, at 16, shouldn't he be out growing these odd behaviors by now? I think he needs counseling or some kind of mental health treatment while my roommate feels it's just an irritating habit that he'll out grow.

Answer 1

It sounds like Pica, which is a medical disorder usually directly resulting from iron deficiency. He may need therapy along with medical treatment. This is not something he'll simply "grow out of." He needs to change his diet and be treated immediately.

Read more about Pica here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_(disorder)

Answer 2

No one can ever have a complete medical history unless they know their ancestors history. Nevermore, if you dont stay in touch with your current extended family your not ever going to have a complete medical history. "Now if you are within the child bearing years what kinds of medical history can you pass along with a child?" An incomplete history. Secondly, we still live in a world where disorders like depression, anxiety are seen as weaknesses and as such are rarely disclosed. Third, it's not until someone gets cancer or a some serious disease before people start querying about their medical history. Thats when you find out that uncle Johnie died .. so did great uncle ray.. and so did aunti fay... but in a closed adoption that information is rarely updated on those records. "Is 29 old enough for a medical history to be complete? Will ALL of your medical malfunctions manifest themselves by the time you're 50?" Nope and Nope. You could be 75 before anything serious happens. Even then a 75 year old may not be aware of any extended family being seriously ill. "Can a complete medical history be obtained in a closed adoption?" No. It can't even be achieved with non-adoptees. You can only know what is known at any point in time. But that is only dependent on that known being fully disclosed. Of course there are going to be some nice people out there who do the right thing and update the child records continuously, but in reality it rarely happens.

Answer 3

If you want the Freudian analysis read this:

If a child is weened off a bottle at too early an age they never fully recover from it. They develop an oral fixation and feel the need to always have something in their mouths. Your roommates son likely has this condition, that he only feels secure with something in his mouth. He wouldn't be aware of it consciously until it was examined by himself and his parents. If they took him off a bottle (or breast feeding, or a pasifier) too soon, that's why he is how he is now.

There's no need for mental health treatment if he isn't debilitated by it. If he's embarassed by it, then he can seek help. Or he might grow out of it partially.

It's not something that is serious as far as conditions go. I live with it. I stopped eating erasers and all that (unless to gross out my friends at a party) after about his age. Now I'm just an average nail biter. Not a great thing as an adult, but it's better than being a smoker I think.

Oh yeah, make sure he never tries smoking. That's easy fast for someone with an oral fixation to take up. I only narrowly avoided it.

Answer 4

Obviously it's Pica.

Pica is the eating of one or more nonnutritive substances on a persistent basis for a period of at least 1 month. The typical substances ingested tend to vary with age. Infantrs and younger children typically eat paint, plaster, string, hair, or cloth. Older children may eat animal droppings, sand, insects, or pebbles. Adolescents and adults may consume clay or soil.

Above is what the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) labels as Pica.

It can be caused by an iron deficiency or mental factors. Someone who is affected by mental retardation or any one of the pervasive developmental disorders also show a higher prevalence towards this behavior.

It would be wise to have the teenager checked out. The safety of the teenager is obviously most important.

Good luck.

Answer 5

THe eating of non food items is a big indicator that something is wrong. He needs to talk to a dr and take samples of what he is eating with him. Some pregnant women eat dirt because they are missing minerals in their diet. (children do the same). That would be my Guess is that he is not getting what his body needs so he's craving things that may fill it. He also my need to see a shrink if he has mental problems.

Answer 6

I believe the condition is known as Pica. It's described as a disorder that gives them an appetite for non-nutritive substances. My niece was in the hospital and almost died and when she got out (she was about 1 and a half) she would eat wood. She ate rails from her crib, her dresser, tables. Anything with wood. I don't know if your roommates son has ever done anything like that. I don't really know how they treated it. I know she was diagnosed with autism not long after. you might try the address below or just have your roommate google it. Hope this helps.

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/conditions/pica.html

Answer 7

Young children who have pica eat non food items but I've never heard of a teen who does it.

Answer 8

Wanting to eat weird things can be a sign of anaemia ( low iron)

Answer 9

thats an eating disorder its a way to get full without consuming calories its a type of anorexia

Answer 10

He should see a medical doctor or a therapist.