1 year old with compulsion to eat paper

[McGucks]

Hi.  Our LO has had this issue for about nine months.  I posted on it awhile back and folks wrote in...as I recall, most said it was a phase.  Well, if it is, this has been a mighty long phase.  We can't leave any kind of paper around him, not for a second.  He will eat (and swallow) any kind of paper, board book, envelope, sticker, receipt, you name it.  Our ped at the time said it was probably because he needed to eat more solid food and to "hold back" on breastfeeding...I ignored that advice, but did up his iron-rich foods and began using a small cast-iron cooking pan in case this had anything to do with pica (he does have low iron).  His drive to eat paper does not change at all based on anything except proximity...if it's not around, of course he can't eat it.  It does not change before or after meals.  Other moms have told me their kid eats paper, but I promise our LO's compulsion is way, way stronger than anything I've seen with other babies.  Any ideas?  I really miss being able to read to him.  He will rip the board book right out of my hands and would happily gnaw away for 20 minutes (which is hard, because he does almost nothing without my being right next to him, so I am tempted to just let him...but then I find book bits in his poop).  TIA for anyone's thoughts.

Edited by McGucks - 3/26/11 at 6:30pm

[Mosaic]

I think it's a texture thing. Both of my girls LOVED chewing on paper and would eat it if I let them swallow, but my first was much worse than my second. She destroyed several board books because she got teeth early; and kids have some crazy ninja skills to get at the stuff they like and shove it in there. Is your son trying to eat it, as in, breaking off a piece and swallowing it intentionally and then going back for another bite? Or is it more that he likes to gnaw on it and sorta ingests some incidentally?

FWIW, I don't think a little bit of paper is going to hurt anyone, though I'd keep receipts away (due to BPA) and choking hazards away as much as possible. I also found other things to satisfy the oral fixation: some of those toys that have crinkly pages have been popular in my house.

[1stTimeMama4-4-10]

My 11 month old DD also eats paper, and has done so since she was old enough to shove things in her mouth.  Generally she doesn't swallow, but happily chews it into pulpy grossness that I then have to trick her into giving to me.  No paper is safe. She is VERY willful about it, and will pitch a fit if I take the object of her obsession away. She is also able to seek it out from far away, make a plan, get to the paper, and shove it into her mouth before I even know what she is doing. I have no idea why she does this, but since she's never choked on it, and doesn't even try to swallow, I have mellowed out about it. Obviously I don't encourage it, but I no longer freak out and race to her side and stick my fingers in her mouth.  I don't really think there is anything wrong with either of our children, I think it's just a baby thing. She will grow out of it eventually!

[rachieface]

My son will join the paper eating club!  He loves it.  It never occurred to me that something is wrong with him; I've known a lot of babies to relish eating paper!  As I told a friend yesterday, if I freaked out about every bit of paper he gets in his mouth I would be a nervous mess.  I prevent it when I can and sometimes just let it go.  I think my kid just enjoys using his new little teeth to tear pieces off!

[evabea]

My 8-month old is completely obsessed with paper and schemes to get it whenever she can. If I catch her with some, ie a newspaper, and simply say her name gently, she pushes it away and looks completely wrought with guilt. Funny how she knows its 'wrong,' I guess I've taken so much paper away from her over the months. Tonight she stopped nursing in bed to crawl towards a tissue box--paper trumps milk!

[arieltron]

Originally Posted by caedenmomma 

Hi.  Our LO has had this issue for about nine months.  I posted on it awhile back and folks wrote in...as I recall, most said it was a phase.  Well, if it is, this has been a mighty long phase.  We can't leave any kind of paper around him, not for a second.  He will eat (and swallow) any kind of paper, board book, envelope, sticker, receipt, you name it.  Our ped at the time said it was probably because he needed to eat more solid food and to "hold back" on breastfeeding...I ignored that advice, but did up his iron-rich foods and began using a small cast-iron cooking pan in case this had anything to do with pica (he does have low iron).  His drive to eat paper does not change at all based on anything except proximity...if it's not around, of course he can't eat it.  It does not change before or after meals.  Other moms have told me their kid eats paper, but I promise our LO's compulsion is way, way stronger than anything I've seen with other babies.  Any ideas?  I really miss being able to read to him.  He will rip the board book right out of my hands and would happily gnaw away for 20 minutes (which is hard, because he does almost nothing without my being right next to him, so I am tempted to just let him...but then I find book bits in his poop).  TIA for anyone's thoughts.

You said you use a cast-iron pan, in case of pica, does that help with iron somehow?

DD also eats paper and loves it. I try as hard as I can to keep it away, but I often find her quiet and happy, ripping apart paper and stuffing it in her mouth.

[mamadiamond]

i was just thinking about this. my dd is 9 months and loooooves to eat paper. she loves to crinkle it, tear it, chew it...she just loves paper. she ate the corner off a form i was filling out at the dr's office the other day. all her board books are missing corners. i'm trying not to worry. it seems like she loves the texture and the crinkly sound, and the eating happens incidentally when it dissolves to mush and is swallowed. my only concern is that a lot of chemicals are used in making paper and printing. so i don't worry when she eats a napkin, but i take the newspaper away when she gets into it.

[Adaline'sMama]

Cast iron absolutely adds iron to your food.

My kiddo is and always has been a paper muncher. She will chew it into a pulpy mess and then spit it out. I always keep reciepts away, but other than that, I just let her play.

[haleyelianasmom]

My 7.5 month old does this.  She has raided the trash, ripped up magazines, books, tags, etc.  I just thought it was her personality.  She's very grabby and active