![]() Poor articulation of words may be an ongoing problem into adulthood. Toddlers with Prader-Willi syndrome often reach milestones in physical movement - for example, sitting up or walking - later than other children do. Even those without significant intellectual disability have some learning disabilities. Mild to moderate intellectual disability, such as issues with thinking, reasoning and problem-solving, is a common feature of the disorder. Other endocrine problems may include underproduction of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) or central adrenal insufficiency, which prevents the body from responding appropriately during stress or infections. Underproduction of growth hormone can result in short adult height, low muscle mass and high body fat. Without treatment, women may not start menstruating until their 30s or may never menstruate, and men may not have much facial hair and their voices may never fully deepen. This results in underdeveloped sex organs, incomplete or delayed puberty, and in nearly all cases, infertility. A condition called hypogonadism occurs when sex organs (testes in men and ovaries in women) produce little or no sex hormones. Unusual food-seeking behaviors, such as hoarding food, or eating frozen food or even garbage, may develop. Constant hunger leads to eating often and consuming large portions. A classic sign of Prader-Willi syndrome is a constant craving for food, resulting in rapid weight gain, starting around age 2 years. Other features of Prader-Willi syndrome appear during early childhood and remain throughout life, requiring careful management. In females, the clitoris and labia may be small. ![]() The testicles may be small or not descended from the abdomen into the scrotum (cryptorchidism). Males may have a small penis and scrotum. A baby may seem unusually tired, respond poorly to stimulation, have a hard time waking up or have a weak cry. Poor sucking makes feeding difficult and can result in failure to thrive. Infants may have a poor sucking reflex due to decreased muscle tone. Children may be born with almond-shaped eyes, a narrowing of the head at the temples, a turned-down mouth and a thin upper lip. ![]() Babies may rest with their elbows and knees loosely extended instead of fixed, and they may feel floppy or like rag dolls when they're held. A primary sign during infancy is poor muscle tone (hypotonia). Signs and symptoms that may be present from birth include: Symptoms may slowly change over time from childhood to adulthood. When pica is long-term, it can result in bowel obstruction, bezoars, and even serious toxicity.Signs and symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome can vary among individuals. However, in intellectually impaired persons, pica may persist for years. In most pregnant women and in children, the condition spontaneously disappears without any sequelae. Careful assessment for iron deficiency is needed. Lead poisoning can lead to dire consequences, particularly among pregnant women, and high levels can result in seizures. Exposure to these toxins can lead to a wide range of effects, including lead poisoning. Ingested materials can contain a wide variety of toxic contaminants, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and fluoride. Careful screening of the materials ingested will be needed to assess risks. This could be achieved by screening for the condition among such populations (StatPearls StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island, FL January 2021).Ĭurrently there are no medications for pica, and it is usually a benign disorder if it has recently developed. ![]() Yasser Al Nasser and colleagues at King Faisel University, Al-Hofuf, Saudi Arabia, primary prevention should be used to identify at-risk patients, such as children who live in old homes that may contain lead-based paint, and pregnancy. Ice ingestion, or pagophagia, can be specifically associated with iron deficiency, especially during pregnancy. Other complications include tooth decay and sensitivity. Risks for developing pica come from a wide range of causes, including stress, cultural factors, learned behavior, low socioeconomic status, an underlying mental health disorder, nutritional deficiency (including iron or zinc deficiency), neglect as a child, pregnancy, epilepsy, and familial psychopathology, to name a few. Incidentally, the word pica comes from the Latin, pica-pica, for magpie, due to the bird’s curiosity and habit of eating all types of substances. The DSM-5 defines pica as eating non-nutritive, non-food substances over a period of at least one month. Should we be concerned about this? ( L., Amarillo, TX)Ī. I recently learned that one of my ED patients, who is 3 months pregnant, has a strong affinity for ice and admits to eating ice cubes nearly all day. ![]()
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