Hypokalemic myopathy “A Possible complication of clay eating

Abstract

1 BACKGROUND (geophagia/pica) Pica is a tendency to ingest nonnutritive substances eg. chalk, paper, wood, coal etc. The American Psychiatric Association in its diagnostic and statistical Manual defines Pica as persistent eating of non-nutritive substances that is inappropriate for developmental level, occurs outside culturally sanctioned practice and, if observed during the course of another mental disorder, is sufficiently severe to warrant independent attention. The term pica comes from the Latin word magpie- a bird known for its indiscriminating eating habits. The deliberate consumption of earth, soil or clay is known as geophagia which is the commonest form of pica. Hippocrates is credited with the oldest description of this ancient practice. An ancient Roman textbook, De Medicina, compiled by Celsus during the rein of Emperor Tiberius (13 – 37 AD), mentions earth eating as one of the reasons for bad skin colour. It is a practice that continues to exist in modern times, the full extent however, remains unrealized most probably due to underreporting. Geophagia has been practiced at some stage, virtually world wide eg. America (north & south), Asia, Australia, Britain, India, various parts of Africa. The epidemiology however, is still unknown due to the lack of studies in this regard.