Differentiating Pica and Oral Sensory Issues in Neurodivergent Children. We discuss the differences between pica, where children eat non-edible items, and oral sensory issues, where children chew on things to self-soothe or stimulate themselves. Pica is often caused by nutritional deficiencies like zinc, iron, B12 or calcium, while oral sensory issues are more about managing stress and stimulation. The treatment approaches for these two conditions are quite different, so proper diagnosis is key.