Updated
Original VAYEMA symptom and impact self-check – not a validated scale
Non-food eating concerns
Answer the symptom statements below to see which experiences and areas of daily life you report as most affected. These are original VAYEMA questions, not a validated diagnostic scale. No clinical severity or probability score is calculated.
Answers are processed only in this page by this assessment. They are not submitted, monitored or automatically saved. No name, email or account is required. Use a private device and clear your answers when finished.
For adults aged 18 and over. This self-check cannot diagnose or rule out a condition. Concerns about a child require an age-appropriate professional assessment.
Thinking about the past four weeks, how well does each statement describe your experience?
Additional context – not included in any questionnaire score
These are original VAYEMA questions, not a diagnostic instrument or a validated severity scale. They summarise the experiences you select and do not predict a diagnosis or future harm. Background condition information; this source does not endorse this self-check.
Why a possible harmful ingestion comes before assessment paperwork
A clinician or poison specialist needs to assess the particular exposure, not a general pica score. What was swallowed, when it happened and the person’s current condition may affect the response. Do not wait for symptoms or for certainty about a behavioural diagnosis before asking for advice. Poison Control distinguishes immediate exposure advice from emergency response when someone collapses, has a seizure, struggles to breathe or cannot be awakened. [1]
Use the appropriate service where the person is currently located. If information is uncertain, tell the receiving professional rather than fill gaps with guesses. Do not induce vomiting or use improvised remedies. Preparing a note or locating previous records must not delay the call. Once the urgent issue has been addressed, a separate assessment can explore why non-food eating is recurring and what longer-term support may be useful.
What a planned pica assessment is trying to understand
The professional explores whether there is persistent eating of non-food materials, how this relates to age and development, and what medical or practical consequences have occurred. Mouthing, chewing and swallowing are different observations. A person may also report urges without having acted on them. MedlinePlus notes that there is no single test for pica; the behaviour and relevant health questions need to be understood together. [2]
Start with what prompted the concern. Perhaps a carer has noticed a recurring pattern, an adult has developed unusual cravings or a previous ingestion has led to medical advice. The assessor should explain the appointment’s scope and what further input may be needed. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or an explanation of the cause. The purpose is to identify appropriate next steps without assuming that every presentation has the same origin.
Record observations rather than conclusions about intention
Useful preparation separates what was seen from what is suspected. You might know that an item was put in the mouth but be uncertain whether it was swallowed. A clinician can work with that distinction. Describe approximate timing, setting and changes from the usual pattern. Avoid interpreting the behaviour as deliberate defiance, attention-seeking or a wish to self-harm without an appropriate assessment of the person’s experience.
If you are supporting someone else, include their account where possible and identify which details are your observations. A child or adult with communication differences may need adapted questions or another way to express discomfort and preferences. The goal is to understand the behaviour without turning the appointment into a dispute about blame. A brief representative account is usually a better starting point than trying to document every moment of the person’s day.
Development, sensory needs and culture provide important context
Young children may explore objects orally as part of development, while persistent non-food eating outside that context raises different questions. The Cambridgeshire community paediatrics guidance also identifies sensory and developmental associations that may be relevant. [3] A clinician should assess the person as a whole rather than use one behaviour to infer autism, intellectual disability or a particular psychological explanation.
Explain the person’s usual routines, communication needs and any relevant cultural context. A culturally shaped practice still needs an individual discussion of medical safety; recognising context does not mean assuming all exposures are harmless. Likewise, a developmental diagnosis should not lead clinicians to overlook a new physical symptom. Ask how the assessment distinguishes the ongoing pattern from changes that may require another medical investigation or a different response.
Nutritional and medical checks should answer specific questions
Depending on the history, a medical professional may consider iron status, other nutritional concerns or investigations related to a particular exposure. The NHS lists non-food cravings or eating among possible features of iron-deficiency anaemia. [4] This is an association, not enough to diagnose a deficiency. The clinician should explain what each test could clarify, how results will be reviewed and whether the underlying cause of a deficiency also needs investigation.
Bring existing results and dates when readily available. Do not start supplements, change medicines or give another person’s prescription to test whether the behaviour improves. If a result is normal, ask what that does and does not exclude. Medical and behavioural questions can coexist, and one reassuring test should not be treated as proof that all risks have been resolved. The assessment should connect findings with a clear, proportionate plan.
Pregnancy and adult presentations need their own clinical approach
Adults may find non-food cravings or eating particularly difficult to mention because they associate pica with children. Pregnancy is one recognised context, but it does not establish the explanation or remove the need for medical review. [2] An adult should be able to discuss the concern confidentially, including nutritional questions and any recent exposure, without being dismissed or shamed.
Tell the relevant medical or maternity professional what has happened and what symptoms are present. A general therapy service may be useful for some ongoing support needs but does not replace maternity, toxicology or other necessary medical assessment. Clarify who takes responsibility for each part of care. If there are urgent symptoms or a potentially dangerous ingestion, use the appropriate immediate service rather than waiting for a routine mental-health appointment.
Why the worksheet has no pica score
The prompts on this page are original preparation questions, not a validated diagnostic scale. They do not identify a deficiency, estimate poisoning risk, determine capacity or recommend a care setting. Their output is only a summary of what you choose to write. There is no threshold that proves the behaviour is serious or that it is safe to wait for a later appointment.
That limitation matters because the risk of one exposure cannot be reduced to the frequency of a recurring pattern. A single incident can be medically important, while a longer-term formulation involves additional questions. Use the understanding pica guide for background if helpful, but do not repeatedly complete a quiz seeking reassurance. Direct professional assessment is the appropriate way to clarify the concern and agree what happens next.
Include the effect on the person and those supporting them
The assessment should consider participation in school, work, home life and community activities, not just record incidents. Supporters may be struggling with worry or the demands of supervision. The person affected may have preferences or distress that are not obvious to others. Ask how these experiences will inform a plan that is practical, respectful and appropriate to the actual level of need.
Family support can address relatives’ own questions without making them responsible for specialist treatment. In education or care settings, relevant staff may need agreed information and clear escalation arrangements. Confidentiality and decision-making responsibilities should be explained. An assessment should not leave informal carers to decide about restraint, medical risk or medication changes without qualified professional guidance.
Ask what the findings mean for treatment and monitoring
The recommendation may include medical treatment, assessment of sensory or developmental needs, an individual behavioural plan or changes in practical support. Ask how the proposed intervention follows from the findings, what its limitations are and when it will be reviewed. The pica treatment guide explains the different roles without prescribing a programme for an individual.
Where several professionals are involved, identify the clinical lead and who organises follow-up. Care coordination may help with agreed communication but does not replace medical responsibility. The plan should explain what to do after another possible ingestion, which routine changes should prompt review and how support will work across settings. More appointments are not automatically a substitute for the specific expertise or monitoring required.
Using your notes without delaying the right care
Write only what feels useful for a planned conversation and avoid unnecessary identifying details about other people. No entries are sent to VAYEMA, stored in a patient account or monitored for danger. You may choose to review, clear or download your own notes. A downloaded file stays under your control and should be kept private. You can attend without completing any of the prompts.
A VAYEMA inquiry can discuss appropriate planned support and whether another service is better suited to the need. It is not a poison service or a route to immediate medical assessment. Serious symptoms or suspected harmful ingestion requires direct local professional advice. The preparation tool should make a later conversation easier, not become another reason to postpone necessary care.
Frequently asked questions about pica assessment
Is there a blood test that confirms pica?
No single blood test establishes pica. Tests may investigate an associated deficiency or the effects of a particular exposure, while diagnosis also considers the observed pattern and developmental context. A clinician should explain which question each investigation answers rather than treat one result as a complete assessment.
Can I use this tool after a suspected poisoning?
Do not use it instead of immediate advice. Contact the appropriate local poison or medical service directly and follow their instructions. The worksheet cannot assess an exposure or monitor symptoms. It is only optional preparation for a planned conversation after urgent needs have been addressed.
What if I am unsure whether something was swallowed?
Tell the receiving professional exactly what is known and uncertain. Do not wait for symptoms or recreate the event to investigate it yourself. The appropriate response depends on the possible item or substance and the circumstances, which an online pica questionnaire cannot evaluate safely.
Does a developmental diagnosis explain the behaviour automatically?
No. Sensory or developmental factors may be relevant, but nutritional, medical and environmental questions can also matter. A clinician should assess new symptoms and the actual pattern rather than assume that one existing diagnosis explains everything. Support should be individual and appropriate to the person’s communication and needs.
Should I try supplements before making an appointment?
Do not use an online description to select supplements or doses. A clinician can assess whether a deficiency exists and what treatment and follow-up are appropriate. An unusual craving does not provide that information. Possible harmful ingestion or serious symptoms needs timely direct medical advice.
Will a clinician receive the notes I enter?
No. The preparation tool does not send, store or monitor your answers. You decide whether to download a private copy and share it through an agreed clinical channel. Routine inquiry forms are separate and are not an emergency alert system. You can request assessment without completing the notes.
Resources and references
[1] Poison Control: Immediate assistance for suspected poisoning
[2] MedlinePlus: Pica and medical assessment
[3] Cambridgeshire community paediatrics: Pica and developmental context