Prevalence of Pica among Children Attending Pediatrics Clinic at El-Menoufiya University Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: to highlight the epidemiology of pica among children attending paediatrics outpatient clinic of Menoufiya university hospital. Background: Pica is a persistent eating of non-nutritive substance, which is inappropriate to the developmental level. Numerous etiologies have been proposed to explain pica. Different forms of pica are associated with a high rate of complications and substantial morbidity and mortality. Methods: The prospective study was undertaken at a pediatric outpatient clinic of Menoufiya university hospital. The mothers were interviewed and data were collected. General physical, systemic examination and investigations were done. Anemia was defined as haemoglobin thresholds for age (0.5-4.99 years) is11 g/dl and 11.5 g/dl for age (5.00–11.99 years). Iron depletion was defined as serum ferritin levels of <15 ng/ml. And iron deficiency as serum iron level <50 µg/dl. Hypozincaemia was defined as serum zinc level of<0.6 mg/L. Results: From two thousands and four hundreds children visited pediatrics clinic, of them one hundred and seventy four patients of them were suffering from pica (prevalence of pica was 7.2%). Clay was the material used by 43.1% children (major form of pica in this study) followed by Dust (25.9 %) followed by paper and cigarette (both 4 %). The hemoglobin and serum iron levels, serum ferritin and serum zinc were below the reference range. Conclusion: Prevalence of pica is higher in males, four years or less age, rural residents, bottle feeders, poor nourished children, children came from low socioeconomic families, illiterate housewife mothers. Children with pica had low level of zinc, hemoglobin, iron and ferritin, which confirmed that there is a relationship between pica and iron deficiency anemia and / or hypozincaemia. The children who practice pica are prone to worm infestation.