Jess feels isolated and exhausted and wishes Junior would get the proper support, while the family struggles to manage this complex condition, which has no specific treatment and relies on redirection and replacing dangerous substances with safe alternatives.
"I know it sounds unbelievable," she added. "I joke and say I need to live in an empty shipping container." Jess hopes to raise awareness about pica disorder, which can be life-threatening for children, as confirmed by specialized health services.
During one of our trips to the supermarket to buy curtains, we left the store, and when we got to the car, he had already chewed the box the curtains were in. Jess Harri, a mother of two, has seen her life turn into a nightmare since her son Junior (21 months old) started eating everything he laid his eyes on, from sand and carpet to wood and cardboard.
Jess didn't know that her son's strange behavior, which began in his early childhood with licking sensory books, was actually a symptom of a rare disorder known as "pica," where a person craves non-food substances with no nutritional value.
Junior was diagnosed last September after a nursery supervisor noticed his behavior and recommended blood tests, which revealed iron deficiency as a possible cause of the disorder.
Behind the seemingly bizarre situations lies a real tragedy. When he started eating his wooden bed, his mother moved him to a metal one, but that didn't stop his attempts, and he chewed the door frame, causing lead from old paint to seep into his blood.
The family's home became filled with dangers, and Jess had to keep Junior in "safe zones," but he always found something to eat. The mother uses safe alternatives like licorice root or Wheetabix candies to mimic the dry, crunchy texture he prefers, but the fear of choking limits their use.
"You can't leave him alone for even a second," the mother told the media, as reported by the BBC. "It takes seconds."
Jess had to take Junior out of nursery after he "ate large amounts of sand."
