Does Eating Slate Pencil Lead To Anemia?
It may cause deficiency of iron in blood.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to HCM.
I have read your query,
Slate pencils contains calcium carbonate and it may be harmful when it is taken in excessive amount.
The continuous craving for eating inedible substances (like chalk, slate pencils etc) is known as Pica.
It may cause deficiency of iron in blood (in simple words, you can say blood loss but not actual blood loss). It is one of the features of Iron deficiency anemia.
It may also cause stone formation in kidneys when taken in excessive amount for a long time.
So,I would suggest you to go for some blood investigations like complete blood count & peripheral blood smear which will be helpful in clinching the diagnosis.
You may consult some local physician for proper clinical evaluation by above mentioned tests.
Hope this helps.Let me know if you have more questions.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra