Bradford girl with rare condition eats anything - even the walls

Bubbly little two-year-old Dolly Tait has been diagnosed with pica, a rare eating disorder that involves eating items not typically thought of as food.

Her mum, Jordanna Tait, said: "She's so bubbly, happy and content. She'll eat almost anything - the walls, her shoes, cardboard boxes, remote controls - the list is crazy.

Items Dolly Tait has eaten include (Image: UGC)

"People don't know the extent she will go to do this. When she goes into a room you can see her scanning for something to eat.

"I'd just like to raise awareness about this condition as both adults and children can have it.

"She's two-and-a-half now and she was one when she started this.

"We live in Eccleshill and when we moved when Dolly was one, we had boxes full of moving stuff in her room.

"She was in her bedroom playing, and we noticed big chunks bitten out of the cardboard boxes.

The bed frame in Dolly Tait's room (Image: UGC)

"We then noticed she started eating her bed frame. Then we noticed it was anything to do with wood in the house.

"Now it can be rubber, shoes, wires, iPhone chargers, literally anything.

"When I change her nappy you find all sorts. I found a one, an eight and the mute button from the remote control the other day.

"I struggle every single day. Dolly needs constant supervision at all times. We have to keep our eyes on her.

"It's a very hard way to live. My anxiety has gone through the roof ever since we knew about this problem.

"I remember actually begging for help when we first found out. It was in lockdown.

"They made me feel really bad mother when I first rang the doctors and they asked me 'Do you feed your daughter enough snacks'?

"As a first-time mum, it made me feel absolutely awful. Obviously, I feed my daughter enough. It's absolutely disgusting.

"Dolly is on the pathway to being diagnosed with autism but getting the proper diagnosis of autism is a fight. It takes so much time.

"She's going to need all the help and support she can get, especially when she gets to school and they need to keep her safe.

"Because she eats holes in the bedroom wall, the doctors are worried about lead poisoning in the paint - so Dolly needs to take blood tests regularly.

"We're waiting on occupational therapist to do a home assessment so we know how to make our house safer.

"It's so petrifying. I really don't know what to do. There's just no help at all. 

Jordanna Tait and her daughter Dolly (Image: Newsquest)

"There's just not enough help out there in regards to pica, so we're just looking for help.

"There are no charities out there about pica that I know of.

"I want to raise awareness about this condition, as I would like to help other families affected by this, as well as myself."

Dolly does have a paediatrician but her mum said she is on a waiting list to see a child psychologist. She has been on that list for a year.

Her mum added: "Dolly will eat anything that's not food and is inedible.

"We have to keep a close eye on her at all times.

"As a mother it's so scary. I'll come downstairs and she might be eating this or that. I have to watch her all the time.

"I don't know what's going to happen next. I don't know if it's going to stop."

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