Brief Answer:
Pica, deserves appropriate and urgent psychiatric care.

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,

I very much understand this can be pretty worrisome. But be rest assured, this is not a very rare situation.

This is generally called pica. This is a condition when persons eat substances with no nutritive value. If this has been going on for more than a month, and no one eats those things in the family, it rightly fits the diagnosis of pica. This is a psychiatric condition and might require the expertise of a psychiatrist. I am afraid specific issues regarding the child's environment, conditions under which she was brought up, any key issues with regards to any traumatic psychological events she has ever been through need to be considered.

A good starting point would be discussing with her and making her open up if she has any real issues bothering her. Drugs like Selective Serotonine Uptake Inhibitors are usually a good starting point. Careful follow up and monitoring of response is imperative.

I strongly recommend you book an appointment with a psychiatrist. this is urgent as certain complications like infections with intestinal parasites, nutritional deficiencies and intestinal obstruction (a surgical emergency) might set in if left uncontrolled.

Thanks and kind regards as I wish her the best of health.

Dr Bain

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