Craving for ice and iron-deficiency anemia: a case series from Oman.
Author: Osman YM, Wali YA, Osman OM.
Source:
Pediatric hematology and oncology, 22(2), 127-131.
Pagophagia, or the practice of consuming ice, is a particular expression of the
more general phenomenon of picPagophagia is a complex behavioral phenomenon
arising from the interplay of biochemical, hematological, psychological, and
cultural factors. This compulsive dietary aberration is observed in many children
and pregnant women worldwide. The authors report 3 cases of severe iron
deficiency anemia with a serum ferritin level of 2-3 ng/mL, in which the patients
were consuming 2 trays and many bags of ice per day. Following treatment with
iron therapy, pagophagia spontaneously resolved within 2 weeks. It is a commonly
missed problem. Pediatricians should be alert to this phenomena and its
association with iron-deficiency anemia