Just Googled pica now I'm panicking about sickle cell!!!

[smurff]

Hi, my daughter has autism (not officially diagnosed yet), we noticed the other week that the corner of my daughter chest of drawers is missing and it's rounded off so I don't think she's eaten it I think she has just been grinding her teeth against it, there used to be teeth marks on her cot bed but no chucks missing. Today I caught her eating foam but she hasn't actually swallowed any I hope And she's surrounded by wood and toys all day and has never chewed on anything apart from what I've just mentioned. I stupidly Googled it and it seems a normal thing as she's not obsessivly eating things just chewed on her chest of drawers and her brothers toy foam sword. Anyway I Googled it and I spotted that someone had wrote eating foam as she was sickle cell, now my mind is running over time, I keep telling myself as my daughter is 4yrs old surely I would have known by now. She had blood tests done a while ago for iron and chromosomes and various bits and pieces due to her learning difficulties /autism. Anyone give me some reassurance before I over react and take her docs for tests for sickle cell anaemia

 

[_Meep_]

If you are in the UK, this will have been screened for when she had her heel prick test.

 

[loeylo]

Was just going to say as meep said. You would definitely know if she had sickle cell by 4 years old.

 

[smurff]

Thankyou, Feel better now, just me being silly and getting carried away again

 

[loeylo]

I do it all the time too! Honestly, just try to stay off google. I have thought there have been so many things wrong with myself, my family and my baby. Even the dog!

 

[_Meep_]

I am exactly the same! Don't feel silly.

 

[suzib76]

It's more likely to be sensory seeking behaviour rather than pica if she is chewing rather than eating. It's very common and you can actually buy chew buddies to direct the chewing safely. My son used to chew a lot, including his clothing, but he is 13 now and has almost completely stopped the chewing.