Child with Autism Eating Dangerous Things: How to Stop Pica
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- čas přidán 29. 04. 2020
- Pica, a type of self injurious behavior can show up in toddlers and older kids with autism. Pica can be life-threatening. Today, Dr. Mary Barbera discusses how to stop Pica in children with autism.
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Do you have a client or child with autism eating dangerous things? In a recent live Q&A session within my private Facebook community, I answered a question about a child mouthing non-edible items like dirt and mulch. Autism eating problem behaviors or chewing issues like these can sometimes be dangerous depending on the severity. In the case of dirt and mulch, parents and professionals need to act immediately and put a plan in place.
In today’s video blog I’ll be covering what causes pica syndrome, some potential cases, next steps you can take to address this problem, and how to start implementing a plan to help the specific child. As with all problem behaviors, we always want to start with an assessment, then put a plan in place and take data. What you might find is that sometimes a certain behavior is linked to a medical condition, and in this case, medication might need to be prescribed.
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If you enjoyed this video about how to get a child to stop putting things in mouth and how to stop child from eating dirt, be sure to subscribe to the channel, like this video and visit my website below. If you have more questions, leave them down in the comments section, and I will do my best to answer you. Thanks for watching today's video blog, and let's #turnautismaround together!
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Dr. Mary Barbera. I fell into the autism world as an autism mom in 1999 when her first-born son, Lucas, was diagnosed with autism. Since then, she became a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and best-selling author of The Verbal Behavior Approach. Since 2015, she’s created 3 autism online courses based on applied behavior analysis for professionals and "gung-ho" parents. Whether you’re looking for autism parenting strategies, working with development delays in children, or in search of autism help for professionals, I can encourage you to subscribe to the channel and join me on my journey. I’ll be providing weekly autism resources that you don’t want to miss.
Best wishes to you Mary. Keep fighting the good fight.
Thanks so much
As a Director of a Montessori School I really appreciate the knowledge and having your videos as a resource for the community. Thank you!
I'm so happy that my videos have been helpful to you! Thank you for watching and for your support :).
Thank you so much for very helpful video.
Glad it was helpful!
Very helpful video.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. This is very informative. My daughter has Autism & Pica. It’s terrifying. She has therapists helping her with it. She went to the ER a couple times a few yrs ago. It’s late so I’m saving this in my “liked” videos to go back & watch for when she’s on home visits. She’s in a hospital right now (which is heartbreaking but she’s getting help & will have home visits & I’ll refer to this & talk to her therapists. It makes sense she may need Zinc.
It is good you are getting her the help she needs.
very helpful
God bless u mam ❤️
My son is chewing on the drywall in his windowsill. He has a pretty balanced diet (other than being picky) and takes flintstone vitamins daily. Thank you for this video
That sounds dangerous. I'm happy you watched and hope a doctor can help figure it out!
Absolutely 💯 love ❤️ this
Thank you so much for watching!
My son has been doing this since he was little and he is now four. I’ve witnessed him eating legos and had his daycare contact me scared because he was eating rocks and marbles at his daycare. On the list to have an evaluation, but not sure what tools to use in the meantime. My family just looks at me like I’m crazy and says it’s normal behavior. I’ve worked with kids from infant to six years of age and I disagree.
He’s chewed as well…and he is on an iron tablet/multivitamin right now too.
Thank you for the information-- my grandson is 5years old and putting things in his mouth also eating paper.
Thank you for watching. I'm glad you found this video helpful!
My 3 year old has started eating EVERYTHING, it isn't specific to dirt, it's gauze, carpet fibers, towels, toilet paper, paper towels, he will mostly just chew on it until it is mush. He is non verbal, and I do not know how to even begin to stop him any advice would help.
Out of curiosity what kind of iep/or smart goals are centred around this behaviour ? Eg- is the goal to reduce pica behaviours to zero rate of occurrence? Or to reduce occurrence/teach to use replacement behaviour such as chewlerry ?
Are you related to late animation director Joseph Barbera (The Flintstones, Tom & Jerry, Scooby-Doo, etc.)?
I have a friend who's almost 3 year old is on the referral list for autism, over the past month she has become very interested in sharp objects and during a playdate she was caught with very sharp objects in her mouth, running and hiding before her mum could get to her. Scissors, knives and screwdrivers etc. Actively seeking these objects out, they were not on show. My friend, the child's mother, does not believe this is a problem, or that it is autism, just believes she is being "naughty"... Its really concerning and really not sure what, if anything, I should do or say :(
It's always difficult to watch a parent in denial. If you feel comfortable relaying the message to her, my online toddler course can greatly help her teach her daughter at home with just a few affordable materials. If she's interested, she can join this free workshop for more details: www.marybarbera.com/workshops. In this course, we focus specifically on increasing language skills and reducing problem behaviors (especially dangerous or harmful behaviors).
I have autism, and i didn’t realise I do this. I sometimes suck on toilet paper, tried to eat soap and always chew on my clothes. I have chewi gems which really help, and also teething toys .
That is good you found something to help.
Thank you … very useful. I was a Nanny in 2020 and a 5 year old boy I cared for in his own home was seeking out the corners of the fenced house yard. I realized he was putting soil into his mouth … he was quick and a little sneaky about it because he knew I would stop him putting his hand to his mouth or block him from being in the corner near the fence.
I realized the yard was sprayed by gardening contractors who came every 2-3 weeks … one afternoon when the boy and I were inside in the living room I saw the gardener spray the fence line with weed killer and another topical which I think was insecticide…
I notified the mother and we discussed how the child had often been outside with his Dad or mother or other caregiver but not necessarily in direct supervision and I suspect that had been for over a year … when the child was 3-4.
When he started school he had to be kept away from sand play and items like shaving cream or glitter …
You're welcome. You were a great help in keeping the boy safe.
My son is 4 as of 2022, non-verbal autistic with pica.
We have been struggling with potty training, and he keeps tearing off and eating pieces of his diapers.
We have been waiting for almost 3 months to hear from his doctor, but we need to get this to stop right away.
He does it almost as a compulsive thing.
He also tries to eat paper and cardboard, but he aggressively looks for diapers to try to eat.
We're getting desperate, and are seriously struggling to keep him from doing this.
It's beginning to take a toll on our family at large.
What can we do??
We're desperate!
I'm seriously concerned for my son, and feel so helpless.
My online courses can really help you prevent these behaviors and increase his language skills. For more info, join me for a free workshop at www.marybarbera.com/workshops.
@@marybarbera How much do your online courses cost?
We're on a really tight budget...
Look into cloth diapers to prevent the immediate danger. My son was seven when I finally got him potty trained and that took taking away the diapers and sitting with him in the bathroom day after day. Look into getting a chew necklace off Amazon to give your little one something to chew on that is safe.
I have a student that is 5 and non verbal and loves our paper towels, plastic, lint from blankets,wood chips from the playgroundetc. He won't eat anything else except for breakfast at home. His mother is aware of this and he gets hungry in class so to communicate that he becomes abusive to other classmates. the mom is aware of this as well so I suggested that could she bring him a snack. Unfortunately she didn't. Later she found out he liked popcorn and brought some to school. he just broke it all up and played in it. My question is what do you suggest as educators do to keep him safe.
This is an important time to work and collaborate with the parent and the family doctor. Keep items he wants to eat locked away and continue to investigate foods he may like.
Thank you so much
You're most welcome
I don't have atusim but I like to chew ow stuff like rubber water bottle caps pencil led and much more...
Did you check your iron? That is what happened to me
Raw rice for me😩
We looking for practical solutions... Ok for assessment and plan But what we can do?
For child with over pica..
I see many of them in My clinic But until now no clearfull solutions if someone succsseful plez share me with a lot of thanks
My 3 years boy chew all hard plastic things like ball bottle wooden things can I give him zinc supplement,.
It is best to consult your doctor but it is a good thing to ask them about!
#marybarbera I do have twin boys they will be 2 soon but one of them is showing signs of pics he is drooling a lot became a picky eater since mid February he was always the better eater , he only says a few words we speak 3 languages in my home and my pediatrician has suggested occupational therapy to help with a possible sensorial disorder any tips
That is difficult. My courses have modules on feeding and can also help increase language. Start here www.marybarbera.com/workshops
#marybarbera thank you for all the resources definitely will look into these tools anyways I don’t understand why my pediatrician is so concern the boy makes eye contact answers when called we have an evaluation for occupational therapy previously both twins have done physical therapy one twin was born smaller than other twin they were 35 weeks
@@karensurf20 hi how is ur son dng hope he is fine.I have twin girls one of them is also showing same symptoms
@@kkj7483 hi my son is fine he goes to occupational therapy once a week it was just a delay they were very premature he is catching up
@@kkj7483 the early they take them from you the longer they take to catch up my twins are identical and we’re born at 35 weeks
I sometimes have randomly Cravings for sand
My daughter is 4 years old. She was diagnosed with infantile spams at four months. At about 2 years old she was diagnosed with epilepsy, 2 1/2 she was diagnosed with Autism and is developmentally delayed. Pica started after her brain surgery about a year and a half ago. At first she was eating grass, dirt and dust. Now is is eating the carpet non stop. Any suggestions to help me help her.
PICA is very serious so I would search for a BCBA/psychologist who specializes in this and consult with your doctor.
Hi
My daughter have same problem
Infantile spsm
Development delay
Putting everything in mouth
Did u get any solution? Please respond
My little girl who is 13 and has autsim is eating her hair.
Do you have any advice?
Likely start with a full medical workup and talk with her doctor.
Hi Mary, my son is 2.3 years and he is constantly whenever we are going out he is going to dig dirt in our communal garden and once I'm not seeing it he is putting in the mouth, now unfortunately we will not get any time soon face to face assessment for autism even though I'm suspecting that my son have. This video what I was searching for my questions why he is doing this, because health visitors saying that my son as he delayed in every milestone,maybe he is exploring everything withing mouth and putting everything in the mouth. But this is disturbing and scary especially when this pandemic going on and virus is not cleared yet. As you mentioned I'm trying to prevent by going somewhere else not stuck in one place, unfortunately even now I can check his blood for vitamin deficiency all I'm giving him is wellbaby and I didn't see any irritability even though there is copper on it. So now I'm not too sure what else I can do if you have additional suggestions I'm more than happy and thankful if could share with me?
The best thing to do is go see your doctor and get a full blood workup. Until that can happen try to keep him away from things he may eat. Find out more here www.marybarbera.com/quiz
Im terrified to tell my parents, is it possible for me to be back to normal agin no problems if pica went away on its own cuz i think ots starting to me
This comment was also created before the vid started soo yeah just incase.
If you are experiencing PICA you should speak to a doctor but that is good if it stopped.
Hi I am doctor from India my son has autism and too much clenching of teeth and mouthing I tried chew tubes brush oral massage everything. It has helped little can you guide me please. I will be
Hi! We have workshops that might help and guide you. You can check it at www.marybarbera.com/workshops/
Has the chewing behavior gone down? What did you use? My son 3.5 is putting things in his mouth these days.. pls advice 🙏
My twins 22 months twins put everything in their mouth especially toys, it has gotten so bad, they don't know how to play cause everything goes in their mouth, it very worrying, whenever I tried to encourage them to play with their toys they will have a meltdown😔.
it is tricky for sure. make sure to look into some of the medical issues i mention.
@@marybarbera thank you
I've read zinc defiency
My daughter puts random things in her mouth she is 4 years and five months however, immediately she is corrected she spits it out! Even a look is enough to get her to spit out...how do I get her to stop completely?
My son too. But him knowing hes being corrected is good. Some kids dont even coorperate when caught
Wish I could get her to stop completely though any tips?
Have you gotten a medical consultation as I say in the video? That is wonderful she spits it out! If she can understand and sort what goes in her mouth and what doesn't that may be an idea that could help too. Ultimately make sure to get a full medical evaluation before anything.
@@marybarbera will do so asap thanks so much!
Hi my daughter is 3 year old school always eating sand in kindergarten but she don't eat when she going to play ground with me please what can I do to stop her.
Here's some more info on the topic that might be helpful to you: marybarbera.com/pica-autism-mouthing-things
My child suposeldy is not autistic, however shes 4 shes not fully verbal or understanding of many comands she had pica with her hair and now her eating habits regressed horribly to the point where she only eats saltine crakers mik and caprisun no water for months im despirte docs dont really seem to care nor specialists and now shes chewing any plastic substance and recently started chewing im extremley concerned with no help new mom issue 😱😱😭 if anyone can please help
Have you brought your concerns to your child's pediatrician? They might be able to recommend a feeding program, too.
How do we differentiate between teething and mouthing in 10 month old? Chewing on anything?
at 10 months old if they are chewing on appropriate things and can be redirected to appropriate things it likely isn't an issue. Eating non food items can be troublesome.
🙌
my son is not talking properly as he is 2.7 years old , even he is not walking properly means he has frequent falls. what to do please suggest ?
I would check out my online courses and get started teaching him today. Check it out here www.marybarbera.com/workshops
I’m chewing on my sharpie is that bad?
My five year old sticks his fingers in his mouth, or picks objects off the floor and will try to eat them…he just swallowed a dime last night as I was cooking him dinner. He also chews on many different items.
I would consider making a doctor's appointment for him and getting bloodwork done to check for lead levels, etc.
@@marybarbera He’s got an appointment coming up this Wednesday. Thank you!
my 4yr old has autism and he eats paper
Google Mary Barbera pica for more on this.