If someone is suffering from Pica, it means that they have a mental disorder in which they are compelling to ingest non-food items like dirt, chalk, hair, paint, glue, soap, and even paper. When an 8-year-old girl became sick, her parents had no idea that what she'd been eating that was blocking her entire stomach.
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#1 To Grandma's House
Cai Liang and his wife were working parents trying to take care of their 8-year-old daughter Niuniu Liang. Because their jobs were so far away, Niuniu was sent to live with her grandparents while mom and dad would visit as much as possible.
#2 A Strange Condition
When Cai went to see his daughter for the Chinese New Year, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Niuniu was frail, fragile, and looked malnourished. Cai thought that Niuniu wasn't eating enough, so he immediately wanted to get her some hearty meals. He noticed, however, that she would become sick after eating and she wasn't able to keep anything down.
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#3 Doctor's Visit
The worried father rushed his daughter to the hospital where doctors immediately gave her a X-ray. What they saw was baffling, as there was a large mass inside of the little girl's stomach. It wouldn't be until they performed surgery that they would find out exactly what it was.
#4 A Massive Ball
Doctors were mind-blown when they went to remove the mass and discovered it was a 4.5 pound hairball inside of Niuniu's stomach. It was completely blocking her stomach and digestive system, making her sick and unable to eat anything.
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#5 A Nervous Girl
It's suspected that Niuniu became anxious when her parents left her with her grandparents. She began chewing and eating her hair because she was distressed and her father took time off to spend time with her. Both Cai and his wife make sure to be by Niuniu's side as much as possible, especially during this transition.
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#6 Another Case
Over in India, doctors were tackling a hairball case of their own. Fifteen-year-old Kavita Kumari was admitted to the hospital for being ill and her health became so bad that she couldn't even swallow water.
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#7 A Long Surprise
Inside of her body was a five foot long hairball. Doctors diagnosed Kavita with Rapunzel Syndrome, a condition where a person is compelled to eat and ingest hair. Not only did Kavita eat her own hair, she ate stray hair and the hair of her school friends as well.
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#8 Help And Therapy
According to Metro UK, her surgeon Dr. Lal Bahadur Sidharth, said, "She was in a very serious condition, malnourished, and very weak. She was barely able to stand on her own." It was important for everyone that Kavita didn't return to her old ways, so they connected her with a therapist to help with her recovery.
