3-year-old UK Toddler Suffers From Rare Disorder; Eats Sofa, Glass And Sponge

Stacey A’Hearne, a 25-year-old mother has pleaded for help for her daughter’s rare disease which involves eating non-edible items like sofa, glass, mattress and other items. Diagnosed with Pica disorder, Wynter, 3, is currently suffering from Autism and has developed a rare eating disorder under which she craves an affinity for inedible items.

Stacey has often caught her daughter eating plaster off the walls, sofa foam and chewing the sides of a high chair. To add to these activities, Wynter’s craving lists shards of glasses, cot and blankets. Stacey has become a full-time, ‘high-alert’ mom who has to monitor her daughter at all times due to the severity of this rare condition. The family hails from Blackwood City in Wales.

Stacey, a mother of two and a full-time carer for Wynter said that her daughter is ‘literally’ eating the whole house. “I bought a brand-new sofa and she’s taken chunks of it,” said Wynter’s mother as quoted by Daily Star–a news website. While explaining the other dangerous symptoms of Pica disease, she said that her daughter shows disagreement with edible foods but sits and eats a sponge.

“She’s smashed about eight photo frames and tried to eat the glass”, Stacey added. However, the mother of two claims that Wynter has never caused harm to herself. To ensure the same, Stacey keeps a close eye on her daughter and hence calls it a ‘full-time job’ for herself.

According to the Metro, Stacey first noticed Wynter putting things in her mouth when she was a baby. She didn’t perceive it as a serious or disturbing activity as kids usually chew on anything before developing sense. Stacey claims that things changed overnight when her daughter turned 13 months old. She became non-verbal and her unusual eating habits started to escalate, prompting an immediate medical check-up of her daughter. Wynter was diagnosed with Pica disorder in January 2024, after several tests. Pica is quite common in children who have autism–which Wynter has too.

Stacey believes that Pica’s symptoms can be reduced by providing ‘sensory playtime’ to her daughter as it helps distract her from the craving for inedible items. “Children with autism like sensory things they can touch or sound,” said Stacey. Due to this, Stacey has custom-made a chewable necklace for her daughter which is specifically designed for people with pica. Her daughter, now, chews on it due to different textures. The mother hopes that her daughter will eventually grow out of it.