Who does not love food? Food is essential to our body in order for us to live. Though, we need to eat in moderation for us to avoid getting those unwanted weight. Food cravings is hard to resist especially if you are pregnant, since there are hormonal changes on your body that makes you look forward on eating a specific type of food. But what if you are craving to eat something that is not edible when you are pregnant and you have grown to love eating that thing even after you gave birth?
Meet Jade Sylvester, A 25-year old mother who have started to experience a bizarre craving for toilet paper during his pregnancy with his youngest son. Worst is, After a year of giving birth to her son, She still cannot resist craving for toilet paper. It was admitted by Jade that she is able to eat up to a loo roll a day.
Jade is suspected to have PICA, A bizarre eating desire for things that are non-edible.
PICA is characterized by an appetite for substances that are largely non-nutritive, such as paper, clay, metal, chalk,soil, glass, or sand. According to DSM-IV criteria, for these actions to be considered pica, they must persist for more than one month at an age where eating such objects is considered developmentally inappropriate, not part of culturally sanctioned practice and sufficiently severe to warrant clinical attention. There are different variations of pica, as it can be from a cultural tradition, acquired taste, or a neurological mechanism such as an iron deficiency or a chemical imbalance. It can lead to intoxication in children, which can result in an impairment in both physical and mental development. In addition, it can also lead to surgical emergencies due to an intestinal obstruction as well as more subtle symptoms such as nutritional deficiencies and parasitosis. Pica has been linked to mental disorders and they often have psychotic comorbidity. Stressors such as maternal deprivation, family issues, parental neglect, pregnancy, poverty, and a disorganized family structure are strongly linked to pica. - Wikipedia
'Two months into the pregnancy, I started craving toilet roll. I still don't know why. I like the feeling of the texture in my mouth, rather than the taste. I like the dryness. My family tell me it isn't very good for me - but I can't help it.' - Jade SylvesterPica is not something that we should ignore as it may pose a threat to our lives. It can cause a range of serious complications if the person gets to do it too much or eat something that's poisonous.
Jade's hormonal changes during pregnancy may have something to do with her condition but if she was doing it already during her pregnancy, She and her son may be at risk. It is because eating non-food substances may interfere with the nutrients from healthy food being absorbed and cause a deficiency. Fortunately, Jade's son was healthy and did not acquired any deficiencies.
'I thought the cravings would stop after I gave birth but they haven't. I can't quit. I keep coming back for more. It can't be doing my insides any good, but it hasn't caused me any health problems or any illness. While I was pregnant I went to the loo and looked at the toilet roll and thought 'I have to eat that' - I know it sounds silly. Today I try and hold off going to the bathroom because I know if I go I will eat the paper. I usually eat around eight pieces per visit - sometimes I go to the bathroom just to get some toilet roll. It does fill me up quite a bit. At first I used to eat a couple of squares at a time, but I keep eating more and more.' - Jade Sylvester
Jade even shared that she waits until it is her time to go to the toilet so that she can eat sheets of toilet tissue in private. She even have her favorite and preferred brands of toilet paper. Jade have 5 children and she hides eating toilet paper from them because she knows they will stop her.
'I try to hide it from my kids, if they spot me eating toilet roll they tell me off. If my daughter sees me she says, 'spit it out Mummy, spit it down the toilet'.' - Jade SylvesterJade's unusual craving for toilet paper still needs to be stopped and it will only happen once she is already committed on changing her cravings.