pica; parorexia; allotriophagy
Medical term for a disorder characterized by persistent eating of non-nutritive substances (e.g., dirt, paint).
Patients with pica may eat things like dirt or paper.
From 異 (i, 'different, abnormal') + 食 (shoku, 'eating') + 症 (shō, 'condition, disorder'). A modern medical compound.