Pica and elevated blood lead level in autistic and atypical children
D. J. Cohen, W. T. Johnson and B. K. Caparulo
Children with severely atypical development often display pica, habitual
mouthing, and odd food preferences as symptoms from the first year of life.
Such children can ingest dangerous amounts of lead even in environments
that are usually considered safe. Mean blood lead concentration was notably
higher in 18 autistic children than in 16 nonautistic psychotic children or
in ten normal siblings. Fifteen (44%) of the psychotic children (autistic
and nonautistic) had blood lead levels greater than two standard deviations
above the mean for normal controls. Behavioral and neurological sequelae of
elevated blood lead level may be obscured in severely disorganized
children. Screening for blood lead should be part of the medical care of
these vulnerable children with pica.
