Has anyone else had a problem with their toddler eating dirt?

[MamaMoopsie]

I would love some advice on how to get my 2 1/2 year old to stop eating dirt. Any time she manages to get outside she just gobbles it. I left my daughters at my mom and dad's yesterday while I went to a doctors appointment. When I got back to get the girls my 2 year old had a big ol' mud ring around her mouth! Today she has a diaper rash going and her poop is very gritty (to the point I have to rinse her down in the tub to make sure I get all the little granuals out.

My mom says it's because she has an iron deficiency. I haven't talked to her doctor about it, yet. Do you have any advice? Is this just a phase?

[momtotwo08]

Iron deficiency. I have one also. Eating dirt, mud, ice, salt are all symptoms. Before I knew I had it I used to pour salt on ice and eat it. I was also tired a lot which is another sign.

[bek2525]

I too heard its an iron deficiency check with your doctor.

[MamaMoopsie]

Quoting momtotwo08:

Iron deficiency. I have one also. Eating dirt, mud, ice, salt are all symptoms. Before I knew I had it I used to pour salt on ice and eat it. I was also tired a lot which is another sign.

My 1 year old had her 1 year check up and shots yesterday so I brought it up with the doctor (even though my 2 year old wasn't there) and the doctor asked if she seems to crave ice, which she does, and the doctor said it does sound like an iron deficiency. We have an appointment for next week.

[hargonagain]

There is a condition called pica or picca, not 100 percent sure on the spelling. It is a lack of a certain mineral in the body and people have an over whelming urge to eat dirt or clay. Take her to the dr to get checked out, it is very common.

[sassy-may]

YES it IS a deficiency (iron or some other mineral her body needs). This happened to my sister and I know ALOT of friends and friends of friends who've had this type of problem. In today's day and age of fast food and horrible diets it seems to happen more often than ever before. See her dr. It's not something I've heard of as critical, but its not healthy and she can easily get germs or even INTESTINAL PARASITES from eating dirt!!!!!!

[Monkeymama930]

My son eats dog food :-( any chance he gets. It drives me nuts. My father in law ate rocks as a kid. I have no idea how to get a toddler to stop. I was told this is a very normal stage of development.
And I used to make my brother eat mud pies all the time and now hes a lawyer :-) so I couldn't have been that bad for him :-)

[sparky1006]

Gee lets see I don't know.But when I was little we always made mud pies!

We thought we were doing something great.we ate them

didn't like them so we fed our dog( sorry no help here)

[pampire]

It could be pica or a phase.  I knew a baby that tried to eat rocks everytime we went to the beach.  She thought it was fun, apparently.  She's a healthy 20 yo new mom now!

[Momof697]

I would guess not iron if you are giving her formula and baby food. etc. or vitamins.  That stuff constipated my kids for a long time until I figured it out.  It is usually a sign of a deficency of something in her diet though.

[confused632]

Iron levels are low....my son did it and sure enough he is actually anemic after having the full blood draw done.  Definitely talk to your dr.