A school girl who suffers from a rare eating disorder was rushed to hospital with lead poisoning after developing a craving for pens and pencils.
Jade Noakes has experienced bizarre urges to eat inedible objects – including sand, paper towels and erasers – her whole life.
The 13-year-old, who also has autism, has been hospitalised numerous times due to consuming non-food items.
It has left her mother Nicole fearing for her only child’s life in case she chokes if left alone.
The rare condition, called pica, has also left Jade with alcohol poisoning after she drank hand sanitiser.
Now Mrs Noakes is hoping to raise the $17,000 (£12,000) to get Jade a service dog to help stop her from eating the things she shouldn’t.
She said the animal will allow her only child to ‘become the child she always wanted to be’.
Jade Noakes has experienced bizarre urges to eat inedible objects – including pens and pencils – her whole life
Her condition has left her mother Nicole (pictured here), from New York, fearing for her only child’s life
The full time mother, 40, from New York, said: ‘Jade has been fighting pica her whole life and it has led to several medical issues.
‘We first noticed it when she was four-years-old. We began to realise that wanting to put things in her mouth was not normal child behaviour anymore.
‘She was eating sand and paper towels and licking shoes. If she has a phone in her hand or there is something next to her she will just pick it up and try to eat it.
‘It has escalated over the years to the point where it is now dangerous. She will eat anything.’
‘She has no idea she is doing it’
Mrs Noakes said she suffers with constant anxiety worrying about the next thing her daughter will try and eat.
‘It’s a day to day, hour to hour battle,’ she said. ‘I am so scared that one day we will not be able to save her. That we will be too far from the hospital. I am terrified what could be next.
‘She has level three autism which is where her pica comes from. She fights every day to try her best not to put things in her mouth but her sense of awareness is not there.’
The teen has been hospitalised numerous times due to consuming non-food items
She has eaten erasers and had alcohol poisoning after she drank hand sanitiser
Now Mrs Noakes is hoping to raise the $17,000 (£12,000) to get Jade a service dog to help her
She says poisoning is a real danger for a child with pica.
‘Over the years she has suffered with lead, acetone and alcohol poisoning from the things that she eats,’ she explained.
‘She got the lead poisoning from eating several pencils in a two day time span. The doctor at the hospital told us even though pencils aren’t made from lead anymore there’s a slight coating inside and from her eating so many of them that’s how she got it.
‘The acetone poisoning came from eating cotton balls with nail polish remover on them.
‘She has no idea she is doing it. For Jade is it like needing a glass of water when you are extremely thirsty.’
‘I can’t be with her all the time’
Jade was introduced to a service dog a few weeks ago who her mother feels will help her with her eating disorder.
‘He would be able to sense when she was going to eat something and stop her with his paw and mouth,’ she said.
‘Sitting there watching her interact with the dog knowing that she was able to become the child she always wanted to be, her anxiety was gone.
Jade’s mother said her daughter has ‘no idea’ that she is harming herself
Mrs Noakes believes the dog will be essential to keep Jade safe, especially as she gets older and she can’t supervise her all the time
Jade, pictured here in her dancing costume, has passed out from eating non-edible items
‘Not once during that time did she have to be told to get something out of her mouth and that feeling for me as her mom was amazing.’
Mrs Noakes believes the dog will be essential to keep Jade safe, especially as she gets older and she can’t supervise her all the time.
‘It is hard as a parent,’ she said. ‘We have our struggles and it is difficult. I can’t be with her all the time.
‘I spend my time worrying she will put something in her mouth and she will choke.
‘But with the dog she was able to break out of her shell just for that short time and be 12.
‘This life saving tool is the best way for her to finally be a child and a little bit more independent in her everyday living at home, at school, and in social settings. Quite simply the dog will save her life.’
Jade said she has passed out from eating non-edible items.
‘I just black out,’ she said. ‘I don’t know what’s going on. It feels really weird.
‘I do think “why me?” I think that if we get the dog it will mean that in a few years we are having my birthday party instead of my funeral.’
To donate to Jade’s cause visit here.