‘He chews paper, licks the windows, eats dirt… I don’t understand why.’
‘We have ruled out parasites and done blood tests, but there is no explanation.’
‘I’m told it’s a behaviour, but I feel it goes deeper than that.’

If you are the parent of an autistic child who has unusual cravings for chalk, paper, sand, string or even small stones, you may have heard of pica. But what is it really? And what is the body trying to express through this behaviour?

Pica is not just a simple quirk

Pica is the repeated eating of non-food items. Although it is often considered a sensory or behavioural peculiarity, it can reflect a deeper imbalance: nutritional deficiencies, digestive disorders, toxic overload or even a strategy to calm the nervous system.

Some children:

• Seek to calm themselves or to ground themselves through oral stimulation.
• Look for a particular texture, pressure or temperature in the mouth.
• Express an underlying deficiency through unusual cravings.

Possible causes

• Zinc or iron deficiency – even with a balanced diet, absorption can be impaired.
• Chronic inflammation or malabsorption, often linked to intestinal imbalance.
• Yeast or parasite proliferation – these can induce atypical food cravings.
• Toxic overload – the body may try to rebalance itself or eliminate by unusual means.
• Sensory need – oral stimulation brings relief to some children.
• Difficult emotional context or need for emotional security, especially in situations of stress, separation or change.

A homeopathic approach to pica

Pica is not an isolated symptom or a behaviour to be corrected. It is a signal – a way for the body to express a need.

In homeopathy, we seek to understand the individual as a whole. We observe the child’s relationship with his or her environment, his or her sensitivities, sleep, digestion, emotions, and recent changes.

We also take into account the aetiology – what may have preceded the onset of pica: infection, medication, period of stress, etc. Understanding what triggered the imbalance guides us towards a more accurate resonance.

In many cases, pica is one of the bodily expressions that quickly calm down with well-adapted homeopathic support. Once the body has been gently re-tuned, these urges often fade, along with deeper changes: calming, better attention, more regular sleep, greater inner stability.

It is not a question of silencing the behaviour, but of listening to what it is trying to express.

Frequently associated homeopathic remedies

The remedy is always chosen according to the person as a whole, but here are a few leads when pica is part of the picture:

• Alumina: Eats chalk, paper, dry objects. Confused, slow, constipated, very timid.
• Calcarea carbonica: Craves eggs and indigestible substances. Cold, cautious, slow to develop. Often a calm child, a bit ‘in their own bubble’, with fears.
• Silicea: Craving for sand or earth. Shy, fragile, difficulty in assimilation. Repeated infections, chronic fatigue.
• Cina: Craving for sweets and unusual things. Irritability, restlessness, tendency to grind one’s teeth. Often linked to a parasite infestation.
• Veratrum album: Strong craving for ice cream or very cold food. Emotional intensity, physical agitation, digestive disorders.
• Medorrhinum: Need for sour fruits, raw food. Extreme behaviour, intense emotional sensitivity, tendency to impulsivity.
• Tarentula hispanica: Need to chew or bite, high energy, impulsivity. Rapid movement, creativity, taste for music.
• Nux vomica: Craving for chalk, stimulants, spicy foods. Irritability, sensory hypersensitivity, digestive disorders.
• Ignatia: Inner sensitivity, silent grief, paradoxical reactions. Craving for unusual foods during an emotional upheaval.
• Staphysagria: Restrained emotions, experiences of disrespect or old wounds. Craving for unusual things, tendency to withdraw.

This is just a short selection; the right remedy depends on much more than just the desire to ingest indigestible things.

What can also support balance

While the body regains a new balance, certain actions can reinforce well-being:

• A simple, nourishing diet, rich in minerals: broths, fermented vegetables, healthy fats, algae.
• Evaluate the minerals by a hair analysis, to explore possible deficiencies or toxic overloads.
• Take care of the microbiota: especially in case of yeasts or parasites.
• Reduce disruptors: additives, colourings, refined sugars, ultra-processed products.

In conclusion

Pica may seem confusing, but in homeopathic support, it is often integrated into a set of elements that can gradually harmonise. It is not only a question of changing behaviour, but an invitation to listen differently and to support the child in his or her deep balance.