An influencer doctor on X Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko doctor in a post patiently explained to a netizen who had wondered why her “1year 7 months old likes peeling the wall and eating the paint.”

The doctor identified the medical condition as PICA, an eating disorder where kids crave non-food items like paint due to low iron or zinc levels.

He recommended blood tests, deworming, and doctor-prescribed supplements over punishment, noting the habit often fades once nutrition improves.

In his words: “This is when a child (or even an adult) craves and eats things that are not food (like sand, paint, chalk, paper, or clay).

“But why is she doing it? Most times, it’s her body crying out for help. It is usually a sign of Iron Deficiency (low blood) or a lack of other minerals like Zinc.

“When the body lacks these minerals, it sends confusing signals to the brain, making the child crave things like paint or sand to try and fill that nutritional gap.

“But we need to stop this quickly because it’s not just about the wall looking rough. There’s also:

1. The Chemicals: Paint is made for walls. Some paints contain Lead, and we don’t want that entering her system because it is not good for her growth and development.

2. The Hygiene: Walls collect dust and germs. We want to protect her from picking up infections from the dirt on the wall.

So what should you do?

Don’t beat her or shout stop it. It won’t work because her body is driving the craving.

1. Take her to the hospital: Don’t go and buy blood tonic over the counter.

2. Request a Test: Ask the doctor to check her Iron levels (Full Blood Count and Serum Ferritin). If her iron is low, the doctor will prescribe the correct dosage of iron supplements.

3. Deworming: The doctor might also recommend deworming if she has been eating dirt/paint for a while.

“Once the nutrient deficiency is fixed, you will see that she will stop peeling the wall on her own. For now, try to keep her away from that wall and get that test done ASAP. He adviced