What can I do for a student who eats paper constantly?!
Question: He has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and ADHD. It seems to serve as a soothing behavior.
Answers: He has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and ADHD. It seems to serve as a soothing behavior.
Yes, I think that this is Pica:
"Pica is an appetite for non-nutritive substances (e.g., coal, soil, chalk, paper etc.)...The scant research that has been done on the root causes of pica suggests that the majority of those afflicted tend to suffer some biochemical deficiency and more often iron deficiency...Treatment emphasizes psychosocial, environmental, and family guidance approaches. Treatment options include: discrimination training between edible and nonedible items, self-protection devices that prohibit placement of objects in the mouth, sensory reinforcement involving screening (covering eyes briefly), contingent aversive oral taste (lemon), contingent aversive smell sensation (ammonia), contingent aversive physical sensation (water mist), brief physical restraint, and overcorrection (correct the environment, or practice appropriate or alternative responses).
This involves associating negative consequences with eating non-food items and good consequences with normal behavior. Medications may be helpful in reducing the abnormal eating behavior, if pica occurs in the course of a developmental disorder, such as mental retardation, or pervasive developmental disorder. These conditions may be associated with severe behavioral disturbances, including pica. These medications enhance dopaminergic functioning, which is believed to be associated with the occurrence of pica."
to eat paper?
Are you sure he dosen't might have pica, perhapes?...
sounds like pica. if i can remember correctly, pica in some cases can be linked to a deficiency in iron. maybe you should take him to the doctor to have it checked out