Pica with rapid improvement after dietary zinc supplementation

Abstract

A 2-year-old girl had a 6-month history of pica, manifested by 'metal-eating'. A diagnosis of zinc deficiency was suggested by a history of poor appetite, declining growth centiles, and a low hair zinc level. 3 days after starting oral zinc sulphate (ZnSO4 x 7H2O 10 mg/day) she had no further evidence of pica, and it is concluded that this was probably a symptom of zinc deficiency.