Place a cupcake in front of my kids, and you’ll get a variety of reactions. One of them can’t stand frosting and will scrape it off (a trait he certainly didn’t inherit from me). Another will devour only the frosting, leaving the cake naked and sad. Then there’s my youngest, who seems to believe that everything on that cupcake is fair game — including the paper liner. When he enjoys a lollipop, he doesn’t just stop at the candy; he chomps down on the stick too.
The upside? He hardly leaves any trash. The downside? It’s just a bit strange. I mean, I’m not one to judge anyone’s snacking habits, but even the quirkiest food choices are still recognized as food. Meanwhile, my son is over here merrily munching on a pizza coupon as if it were the pizza itself.
I first caught him in the act when he was about 2 1/2 years old. I walked into the bathroom and was stunned to see him taking bites out of a full roll of toilet paper. I was both impressed by his bite strength (who knew a toddler could chomp through toilet paper like it was an apple?!) and horrified that he was munching on something so inappropriate when there was a treasure trove of toddler-friendly snacks available.
I pried his mouth open, but it was too late — that toilet paper was already on its way to his tummy. I scolded him, of course, explaining that we don’t eat paper, and thought that would put an end to it. After all, little kids often put things in their mouths; it’s a normal phase, right?
But soon after, I spotted him munching on a Kleenex. Then he was sitting on the couch, mindlessly tearing into a baby wipe, treating it like a bowl of popcorn. Concerned, I called his pediatrician, who suggested a full workup with blood tests to check for any nutritional deficiencies. So, off we went.
My little guy endured the pokes and prods, and surprisingly, the results were all clear — he was healthy with normal vitamin and mineral levels. The pediatrician diagnosed him with pica, a condition that compels people to eat non-food items like paper, chalk, or dirt. While this is often associated with malnutrition, my son’s health was good, so the doctor suggested it was likely a behavioral quirk he’d outgrow by age four. His theory was that my son was just seeking attention.
I had to disagree. It never seemed like attention-seeking behavior; he didn’t act like, “Look at me! I’m eating paper!” It was more of a natural, absentminded habit, akin to how some people twirl their hair or bite their nails. He munched away whether he was alone or surrounded by others.
From soft napkins and baby wipes, he progressed to eating regular paper — the pages of books, the frilly edges of notebook paper, and even junk mail. Since it didn’t interfere with his regular meals (and he was eating it in small bits, reducing choking risk), I mostly ignored it, clinging to the belief that this too would pass.
It became so commonplace that I hardly noticed anymore. Once, while dining out, my son ordered chicken strips, which came in a basket lined with checkered paper. Guess what he started munching on first? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t the chicken.
He had just started on the straw wrapper when a concerned woman approached our table. “Excuse me,” she said, pointing with a frown, “but your son is eating that straw paper.”
“Oh, thanks!” I replied, as if she had just saved him from a terrible fate, and promptly removed the paper from his mouth. But as soon as she walked away, I handed it back. Little did she know, I chuckled inwardly, it’s like living with a goat.
Now at 11, his paper-eating habit has waned to a more manageable level (if you can call munching on cupcake wrappers and lollipop sticks “manageable”). I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since the pediatrician predicted he’d outgrow it. While he hasn’t completely kicked the habit, it has definitely decreased, and I like to think we’re finally approaching the end of this chapter. After all, as convenient as “my brother ate my homework” could be around here, no teacher would ever buy that excuse.
For more insights on parenting and unusual habits, check out this other article on our blog, which discusses various aspects of home insemination. If you’re curious about the topic of artificial insemination, you can read more about it here, as it’s an excellent resource for those interested in pregnancy options.
Summary
This humorous account shares the peculiar habit of a child who munches on paper, detailing the mother’s experiences and the pediatrician’s insights. While the habit has lessened as the child has grown, it remains a quirky aspect of their family life.