Bhagalpur (Bihar), April 15 (ANI): At an age when the tiny-tots are generally found drawn to chocolates or candies, a two-year-old girl from Bhagalpur in Bihar relishes eating hot chillies, and even munching brick pieces!

Pakeeza has been eating these substances for eight months now and has not complained of any health problem.

She lives with her mother and maternal uncle. And, the uncle says that Pakeeza’s appetite is more than other children of her age. She takes very little quantity of water.

People in the neighbourhood are shocked to learn about Pakeeza’s unusual liking for such a hard-to-digest things. They say that the little girl even enjoys biting mosquito repellant mats!

"The girl has this unique thing about her. She eats mud, stones and even pearls. The most astonishing thing about her is that she consumes Morten (mosquito repellent) which is poisonous and we are shocked," said one neighbour Tasif.

Pakeeza has been shown to doctors for her unusual liking for weird objects. But all in vain, as no medical treatment could keep her away from getting drawn to such things.

"All the time she keeps looking for food and wants to eat. She starts crying if we are late in giving her food. She eats bricks, stones and even pearls. She also eats uncooked rice and pulses,” said Pakeeza’s aunt Kehkashan.

“She wakes up by Two o’clock at night and asks us for food. At times she picks up stones from the road and eats. We are worried about her health and fear her stomach may get affected. We have taken her for treatment but it was not of much help," said Kehkasha, Pakeeza’s aunt.

Eating disorder of such kind is medically known as Pica. It is an appetite for largely non-nutritive substances like coal, soil, chalk, paper or an abnormal appetite for some things that may be considered food.

Medical experts feel that the habit can prove disastrous for the child's health.

"It can harm the heath of the child very badly in future. She can suffer from infections. Such items contain minerals in large quantity that can form toxics in the body damaging her kidneys and liver," said Dr. Ajay Singh, a Child specialist.

Even extreme weather conditions don't affect Pakeeza. Today, her unusual appetite has become a major headache for the family that has to keep track of her round the clock, lest she gobbles up something more dangerous! (ANI)