Toddler with rare condition eats paint, carpet, washing powder, stones and ants

Maddie Moore, 3, has consumed washing powder, cooking oil, clumps of carpet, stones, plaster, wood, plastic, sand, duct tape, bugs, paint, pens, ants and toilet roll.

The youngster suffers from Pica, a rare impulsive disorder meaning she has cravings to eat non-food substances.

Even the children’s centre she goes to has taken the unusual step of making her edible toys to keep her safe.

Her mum Catherine Mullins has to keep a constant eye on Maddie to make sure she doesn’t choke or eat something that could damage her insides.

Catherine, 26, said: “She’s certainly unique. Most professionals who meet her say they’ve never met a child quite like Maddie.

“If she could, she would eat everything. I’m always worried about what she’ll try to eat next. Everything goes to her mouth."

Maddie also suffers from autism, developmental delay and sensory process disorder, which causes her to bounce, spin and climb at any opportunity.

At night she has to be zipped into a specialist bed to stop her harming herself while her parents and four-year-old sister Lilly sleep.

Catherine added: “Every day is a struggle but she’s worth it. Maddie is such a character.

“I feel really lucky because she is so quirky and different. I love her so much.”

Pica is an eating disorder most common in people with learning disabilities and during pregnancy.

It can be potentially life-threatening, with risks ranging from vomiting, constipation and infections to blockages in the gut and intestines, choking and poisoning.

In some cases surgery may be needed to remove objects from an individual’s gut or to repair tissue injuries.

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