Acuphagia on the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum in an Adolescent Male

Background. Pica is a condition that is commonly missed in childhood. This condition occurs worldwide and is considered normal in children from ages 18- to- 36 months. It is also commonly seen in pregnant women due to associated nutritional deficiencies. Acuphagia is a subtype of pica which has been...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: William Butler, Luis Allen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Psychiatry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8885503
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Summary:Background. Pica is a condition that is commonly missed in childhood. This condition occurs worldwide and is considered normal in children from ages 18- to- 36 months. It is also commonly seen in pregnant women due to associated nutritional deficiencies. Acuphagia is a subtype of pica which has been briefly described in the literature. Its classification has been speculated to belong on a spectrum of obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). This case involves Mr. C, a 16-year-old male with a history of depression, anxiety, and ten previous intentional foreign body ingestions involving sharp objects such as needles, forks, and thumbtacks. He states that he recently ate a nail and denies any current obsessions. He was admitted from a local involuntary receiving facility due to decreased bowel movements in the last week. Learning points and recommendations for practitioners are described.
ISSN:2090-682X
2090-6838