The girl was diagnosed with pica and autism in January 2024. (Representational Pic)
A woman has pleaded for help with her three-year-old daughter's rare condition, which sees her "eat the house". Stacey A'Hearne, from Blackwood, Wales, said she has to stop her daughter Wynter from munching on potentially dangerous items - like plaster off the walls, sofa foam and the side of a high chair. The 25-year-old said that Wynter was diagnosed with autism and suffers from unusual feeding disorder called pica, which generates cravings for objects that are not safe to eat.
"She is literally eating the whole house. I bought a brand-new sofa and she's taken chunks out of it," Ms A'Hearne was quoted as saying by Metro.
"She's really fussy with normal food but she'll sit and eat a sponge. She's smashed about eight photo frames and tried to eat the glass," the women said.
"No matter what she finds a way to eat things that she shouldn't. Luckily, she's never really hurt herself as I very closely monitor her. But it's a full-time job watching her," she added.
Ms A'Hearne has seen Wynter waking up in the night to chew on her cot and blanket she is sleeping in.
As per New York Post, she saw Wynter putting things in her mouth as a baby but didn't think it was anything serious. Her growth continued normally will she turned 13 months old, when things changed suddenly.
Wynter became non-verbal and her unusual eating habits began to escalate, prompting Stacey to reach out to her healthcare visitor who referred her to other doctors.
The girl was finally diagnosed with pica and autism in January 2024, after tests.
"Pica can be more common in children who have autism - which Wynter has too. I think it's a sensory thing, and she craves the different textures. She has very severe autism which means she doesn't speak much and has some behavioural issues," said Ms A'Hearne.
She said she has to keep a really close eye on Wynter and hopes the girl eventually grows out of it.