A mother is asking for help with her daughter's rare condition, which causes the young girl to 'eat the house.'
Stacey A'Hearne, 25, must always watch three-year-old Wynter to stop her from eating potentially dangerous items.
The youngster was diagnosed with autism and suffers from the unusual eating disorder pica – which causes cravings for inedible objects.
Stacey has caught Wynter eating plaster off the walls, sofa foam, and gnawing on the side of a high chair.
Worryingly, she has watched her daughter smash photo frames and attempt to eat the shards of glass.
The little girl has even started waking up in the night to chew on her cot and blanket she's sleeping in.
The mother of two must be on 'high alert' due to the severity of Wynter's condition.
Stacey, a full-time carer for Wynter, from Blackwood, Wales, said: 'She is literally eating the whole house. I bought a brand-new sofa and she's taken chunks out of it.
She is really picky with normal food but she'll sit and eat a sponge. She's smashed about eight photo frames and tried to eat the glass.
'No matter what she finds a way to eat things that she shouldn't. Luckily, she's never really hurt herself as I very closely monitor her. But it's a full-time job watching her.'
Stacey first noticed Wynter putting things in her mouth as a baby and didn't think it was anything serious.
Wynter was hitting the usual milestones – like talking and walking – until around 13 months old, when things changed 'overnight'.
She became non-verbal and her unusual eating habits began to escalate, prompting Stacey to seek help from her healthcare visitor, who made some referrals to the doctors.
In January 2024, after further tests and being diagnosed with pica, Wynter was also diagnosed with autism.
Stacey said: 'Babies always put things in their mouth, but when she was doing it a lot I started to think it wasn't normal.
'Pica can be more common in children who have autism – which Wynter has too. I think it's a sensory thing, and she craves the different textures. She has very severe autism which means she doesn't speak much and has some behavioral issues.'
Stacey – who also has one-year-old Everly – was a full-time mom to her daughters before becoming Wynter's full-time carer.
She has caught the tot eating wool from the inside of her toys, plants, and candle wax.
'I put Wynter in the highchair with snacks, but she'll choose to eat the highchair. Her autism really affects her sleep, and she wakes up quite a lot,' Stacey said,
'Her pica really comes out to play at night. She wakes up at 2am and I've found her eating the cot and the blankets. It is exhausting to have eyes on her 24/7 but I've got into a good routine, and I understand her needs.'
Stacey has discovered that offering ‘sensory playtime’ has helped divert Wynter from her pica cravings.
She added: ‘Kids with autism are fond of sensory things they can touch or hear. I have a special chewable necklace for her, designed for people with pica, that she can chew on with different textures.
‘Also, things like differently-shaped pasta is something she’ll eat – which she can touch or play with. The doctors said there’s not much we can do.
‘It’s not good for her but it’s not very dangerous – as long as it’s not glass. I just have to keep a really close eye on her and hopefully, she eventually grows out of it.’
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