condition : jessica knight ca n't stop eating carpet underlay and the stuffing from soft furnishings . it 's not the first time a child has been accused of eating her parents out of house and home -- but in jessica knight 's case , it 's literally true . the four-year-old has an unusual appetite for furniture , soft furnishings and fittings , and doctors say they are unable to treat her . hardly anything is off the youngster 's menu , with the filling from a rocking horse , padding in an armchair and even carpet underlay taking her fancy . other non-food items she devours include sand and chips of cement from paving blocks . jessica suffers from pica , a rare medical disorder that leads to an appetite for non-nutritious substances . it is more commonly recognised among pregnant women , some of whom develop unusual cravings . ` i was really shocked when i realised just how much she was eating . if you lift up the carpet in her room now you can see there is no underlay left , ' said her mother , kelly will . ` we are at our wits ' end . we try to keep her busy so she does n't do it , but if we try to stop her she will find a way to do it . ` i 'd have to remove everything from my house , including all chairs and sofas . ' miss will , 36 , first noticed the problem when jessica was two and began eating the filling from a children 's armchair . staff at her pre-school also spotted her licking her hands and placing them in a sandpit before sucking the grains from her fingers , before tell-tale signs of snack-attacks became clear from the damage to items around the house . former footballer gary mabbutt was left with a 30inch scar following a five hour operation to save his leg . jessica , who has a three-year-old sister , jennifer , is now allowed to keep a small purse filled with some of the spongy underlay to eat . the ex-tottenham and england star , 53 , was rushed to hospital after waking up at 1am to find that the leg had gone cold back in 2013 . mabbutt 's diabetes had led to a clogged artery in the limb and doctors warned him it was ` touch and go ' on whether the leg would have to be amputated . cravings : jessica 's pica makes her want to eat substances including sponge , sand and even rocks . worry : kelly knight says doctors are unable to treat jessica until she is six years old . her mother , who lives in march , cambridgeshire , with partner chris knight , 40 , an engineer , said : ` we 'd rather she ate the underlay because it is non-toxic . if we try and stop her we fear she will eat something with chemicals in it . ' pica is an eating disorder that is characterised by the desire to eat items with little or no nutritional value . these can include stones , sand , paint and dirt . it is most common in people with learning disabilities and during pregnancy . it can cause a range of serious complications if the person is eating something that is poisonous or indigestible . these include being poisoned by toxic ingredients and having a part of the body obstructed -lrb- which is often seen in people who eat hair -rrb- . scroll down for video . it can also lead to excessive calorie intake , but also nutritional deprivation if the person eats a substance with no nutritional value instead of nutritious foods . the person can also damage their teeth and be infected with parasites . experts have examined jessica but said they can not intervene until she is six , and old enough to make conscious decisions about what she eats rather than acting on impulse . fortunately , she does like plain sausages , cheese strings , rice pudding , bread , weetabix and fish fingers . but her unusual snacks can leave her in agony because they cause stomach cramps and constipation . despite her tender years , jessica is aware that her diet is highly unusual , and does worry what people would think of her craving different food . she also shuts her little sister out of their shared room when she is satisfying one of her cravings , saying : ` i do n't want her to be poorly . ' the family will find out this month if jessica is on the autistic spectrum , which is often linked to pica . horrific scar : gary mabbutt has been left with a 30inch scar on his left leg after his diabetes caused an artery to be clogged requiring emergency surgery to save the limb . he was treated at king 's college hospital in south east london , undergoing an emergency five-hour operation . surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . mabbutt , who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 17 , will not be able to play football again , leaving his dream of becoming a manager in tatters . as he is unable to train with players on the pitch , he has been forced to turn down roles in coaching . the challenging behaviour foundation , a learning problems charity , said : ` it is estimated that four to 26 per cent of people with learning disabilities display pica behaviour . ` whilst some objects pass through the body without harm , pica can potentially be life-threatening . risks include vomiting , blockages , choking and poisoning . ' dr alison sansome , clinical director at cambridgeshire community services nhs trust , added : ` pica is a complex condition and treatment is dictated by the specific circumstances in each case . ' damage : half of the carpet underlay in jessica 's bedroom has vanished because she has eaten it . emergency procedure : surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . the spurs legend has spoken for the first time about the agony he went through and says he hopes to raise awareness of his condition . speaking to the sun , he said : ` when they talked about battling to save my leg , i realised i was helpless . as a diabetic you know complications can occur . but you think `` it 's never going to happen to me '' . it is vital to educate everyone with diabetes how to take care of themselves . control : jessica 's parents have given her a purse full of bits of sponge to eat . if you have anything unusual with your feet , tingly toes , blisters , see your doctor . ' in 1982 , father-of-two mabbutt became the first diabetic ever to play for england and captained tottenham to fa cup glory in 1991 . former star : mabbutt is pictured , left , lifting the fa cup while playing for tottenham in 1991 . he was unaware that his diabetes had triggered peripheral arterial disease , clogging up the blood vessels in the legs . every year , surgeons perform around 8,000 amputations on diabetics in the uk - but campaigners say four out five could be prevented . amputations cost the nhs # 650million a year - and up 80 per cent of the amputees die within five years . diabates sufferers are entitled to annual eye tests as they are are 20 times more likely to develop sight problems , but gary mabbutt wants a similar programme to apply to feet . experts say millions of diabetics are unaware their condition could lead to foot problems and agree regular checks could save limbs .
former footballer woke up in middle of the night to find his leg was cold . mabbutt diagnosed with diabetes at 17 but complications had developed . he required the main artery to be replaced and almost lost his left leg . the ex-spurs star wants to raise awareness of dangers relating to diabetes .
condition : jessica knight ca n't stop eating carpet underlay and the stuffing from soft furnishings . it 's not the first time a child has been accused of eating her parents out of house and home -- but in jessica knight 's case , it 's literally true . the four-year-old has an unusual appetite for furniture , soft furnishings and fittings , and doctors say they are unable to treat her . hardly anything is off the youngster 's menu , with the filling from a rocking horse , padding in an armchair and even carpet underlay taking her fancy . other non-food items she devours include sand and chips of cement from paving blocks . jessica suffers from pica , a rare medical disorder that leads to an appetite for non-nutritious substances . it is more commonly recognised among pregnant women , some of whom develop unusual cravings . ` i was really shocked when i realised just how much she was eating . if you lift up the carpet in her room now you can see there is no underlay left , ' said her mother , kelly will . ` we are at our wits ' end . we try to keep her busy so she does n't do it , but if we try to stop her she will find a way to do it . ` i 'd have to remove everything from my house , including all chairs and sofas . ' miss will , 36 , first . ' pica is an eating disorder that is characterised by the desire to eat items with little or no nutritional value . these can include stones , sand , paint and dirt . it is most common in people with learning disabilities and during pregnancy . it can cause a range of serious complications if the person is eating something that is poisonous or indigestible . these include being poisoned by toxic ingredients and having a part of the body obstructed -lrb- which is often seen in people who eat hair -rrb- . scroll down for video . it can also lead to excessive calorie intake , but also nutritional deprivation if the person eats a substance with no nutritional value instead of nutritious foods . the person can also damage their teeth and be infected with parasites . experts have examined jessica but said they can not intervene until she is six , and old enough to make conscious decisions about what she eats rather than acting on impulse . fortunately , she does like plain sausages , cheese strings , rice pudding , bread , weetabix and fish fingers . but her unusual snacks can leave her in agony because they cause stomach cramps and constipation . despite her tender years , jessica is aware that her diet is highly unusual , and does worry what people would think of her craving different food . she also shuts her little sister out of their shared room when she is satisfying one of her cravings , saying : ` i do n't want her to be poorly . ' the family will find out this month if jessica is on the autistic spectrum , which is often linked to pica . horrific scar : gary mabbutt has been left with a 30inch scar on his left leg after his diabetes caused an artery to be clogged requiring emergency surgery to save the limb . he was treated at king 's college hospital in south east london , undergoing an emergency five-hour operation . surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . mabbutt , who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 17 , will not be able to play football again , leaving his dream of becoming a manager in tatters . as he is unable to train with players on the pitch , he has been forced to turn down roles in coaching . the challenging behaviour foundation , a learning problems charity , said : ` it is estimated that four to 26 per cent of people with learning disabilities display pica behaviour . ` whilst some objects pass through the body without harm , pica can potentially be life-threatening . risks include vomiting , blockages , choking and poisoning . ' dr alison sansome , clinical director at cambridgeshire community services nhs trust , added : ` pica is a complex condition and treatment is dictated by the specific circumstances in each case . ' damage : half of the carpet underlay in jessica 's bedroom has vanished because she has eaten it . emergency procedure : surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . the spurs legend has spoken for the first time about the agony he went through and says he hopes to raise awareness of his condition . speaking to the sun , he said : ` when they talked about battling to save my leg , i realised i was helpless . as a diabetic you know complications can occur . but you think `` it 's never going to happen to me '' . it is vital to educate everyone with diabetes how to take care of themselves . control : jessica 's parents have given her a purse full of bits of sponge to eat . if you have anything unusual with your feet , tingly toes , blisters , see your doctor . ' in 1982 , father-of-two mabbutt became the first diabetic ever to play for england and captained tottenham to fa cup glory in 1991 . former star : mabbutt is pictured , left , lifting the fa cup while playing for tottenham in 1991 . he was unaware that his diabetes had triggered peripheral arterial disease , clogging up the blood vessels in the legs . every year , surgeons perform around 8,000 amputations on diabetics in the uk
condition : jessica knight ca n't stop eating carpet underlay and the stuffing from soft furnishings . it 's not the first time a child has been accused of eating her parents out of house and home -- but in jessica knight 's case , it 's literally true . the four-year-old has an unusual appetite for furniture , soft furnishings and fittings , and doctors say they are unable to treat her . hardly anything is off the youngster 's menu , with the filling from a rocking horse , padding in an armchair and even carpet underlay taking her fancy . other non-food items she devours include sand and chips of cement from paving blocks . jessica suffers from pica , a rare medical disorder that leads to an appetite for non-nutritious substances . it is more commonly recognised among pregnant women , some of whom develop unusual cravings . ` i was really shocked when i realised just how much she was eating . if you lift up the carpet in her room now you can see there is no underlay left , ' said her mother , kelly will . ` we are at our wits ' end . we try to keep her busy so she does n't do it , but if we try to stop her she will find a way to do it . ` i 'd have to remove everything from my house , including all chairs and sofas . ' miss will , 36 , first person can also damage their teeth and be infected with parasites . experts have examined jessica but said they can not intervene until she is six , and old enough to make conscious decisions about what she eats rather than acting on impulse . fortunately , she does like plain sausages , cheese strings , rice pudding , bread , weetabix and fish fingers . but her unusual snacks can leave her in agony because they cause stomach cramps and constipation . despite her tender years , jessica is aware that her diet is highly unusual , and does worry what people would think of her craving different food . she also shuts her little sister out of their shared room when she is satisfying one of her cravings , saying : ` i do n't want her to be poorly . ' the family will find out this month if jessica is on the autistic spectrum , which is often linked to pica . horrific scar : gary mabbutt has been left with a 30inch scar on his left leg after his diabetes caused an artery to be clogged requiring emergency surgery to save the limb . he was treated at king 's college hospital in south east london , undergoing an emergency five-hour operation . surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . mabbutt , who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 17 , will not be able to play football again , leaving his dream of becoming a manager in tatters . as he is unable to train with players on the pitch , he has been forced to turn down roles in coaching . the challenging behaviour foundation , a learning problems charity , said : ` it is estimated that four to 26 per cent of people with learning disabilities display pica behaviour . ` whilst some objects pass through the body without harm , pica can potentially be life-threatening . risks include vomiting , blockages , choking and poisoning . ' dr alison sansome , clinical director at cambridgeshire community services nhs trust , added : ` pica is a complex condition and treatment is dictated by the specific circumstances in each case . ' damage : half of the carpet underlay in jessica 's bedroom has vanished because she has eaten it . emergency procedure : surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . the spurs legend has spoken for the first time about the agony he went through and says he hopes to raise awareness of his condition . speaking to the sun , he said : ` when they talked about battling to save my leg , i realised i was helpless . as a diabetic you know complications can occur . but you think `` it 's never going to happen to me '' . it is vital to educate everyone with diabetes how to take care of themselves . control : jessica 's parents have given her a purse full of bits of sponge to eat . if you have anything unusual with your feet , tingly toes , blisters , see your doctor . ' in 1982 , father-of-two mabbutt became the first diabetic ever to play for england and captained tottenham to fa cup glory in 1991 . former star : mabbutt is pictured , left , lifting the fa cup while playing for tottenham in 1991 . he was unaware that his diabetes had triggered peripheral arterial disease , clogging up the blood vessels in the legs . every year , surgeons perform around 8,000 amputations on diabetics in the uk - but campaigners say four out five could be prevented . amputations cost the nhs # 650million a year - and up 80 per cent of the amputees die within five years . diabates sufferers are entitled to annual eye tests as they are are 20 times more likely to develop sight problems , but gary mabbutt wants a similar programme to apply to feet . experts say millions of diabetics are unaware their condition could lead to foot problems and agree regular checks could save limbs .
condition : jessica knight ca n't stop eating carpet underlay and the stuffing from soft furnishings. it 's a child accused eating her parents out house and home -- in jessica knight 's case, literally the four has an unusual appetite furniture, soft furnishings fittings doctors unable. hardly anything off the youngster 's menu, the filling from a rocking horse, padding in even carpet underlay taking her fancy. other non-food items she devours include sand and chips of cement from paving blocks. jessica suffers pica, a rare medical disorder leads an appetite. it more commonly recognised among pregnant women, some develop unusual cravings. ` i was really shocked realised just she eating. if lift the carpet her room now there no underlay left, ' said, kelly will. ` we at our wits ' end. we try her busy does n't do, if try stop find. ` i 'd have remove everything, including all chairs ' miss will, 36 first noticed the problem when jessica two began eating the filling from a children 's armchair. staff at her pre also spotted licking placing a sandpit before sucking the grains from, before tell-tale signs snack-attacks became from the damage items around former footballer gary mabbutt was left a 30inch scar following a five hour operation save. jessica, who, jennifer is now allowed keep a small purse filled some the spongy underlay to eat. the ex-tottenham and england star, 53, was rushed waking to the leg gone cold back 2013 mabbutt 's diabetes had led a clogged artery the limb doctors warned it ` touch and on whether the leg have. cravings : jessica 's pica makes want substances including sponge, sand even rocks worry : kelly knight says doctors unable jessica until six. her mother, lives march cambridgeshire with partner chris knight 40 an engineer said ` we 'd rather she ate the underlay because non. if we try stop her fear eat something with chemicals. ' pica is an eating disorder characterised the desire items. these can include stones, sand paint dirt it most common people learning during. it can cause a range serious complications if eating something poisonous. these include being poisoned toxic ingredients a part obstructed -lrb- which often seen eat hair -rrb-. scroll. it can also lead excessive calorie intake, but also nutritional deprivation if a substance instead nutritious foods the person can also damage their teeth be infected parasites. experts have examined jessica but said can not intervene until she six, old make conscious decisions eats rather acting impulse fortunately, she does like plain sausages cheese strings rice pudding bread weetabix fish fingers but her unusual snacks can leave in agony because cause. despite her tender years, jessica aware her diet highly unusual does worry what people craving different food she also shuts her little sister their shared room when is satisfying one her cravings, saying : ` i do n't poorly. ' the family will find this month jessica on the autistic spectrum, which often linked pica. horrific scar : gary mabbutt has left a 30inch scar after his diabetes caused an artery be requiring save the limb. he was treated king 's college hospital south east london, undergoing. surgeons were required replace the main artery needed 112 staples seal the horrific wound. mabbutt, who diagnosed 17, will not play, leaving his dream tatters as he is unable train with players on, turn roles coaching. the challenging behaviour foundation, a learning problems charity said : ` it estimated four to 26 per cent people display pica behaviour. ` whilst some objects pass without harm, pica can potentially life. risks include vomiting, blockages choking poisoning ' dr alison sansome, clinical director cambridgeshire community services nhs trust, added ` pica is a complex condition treatment dictated in. ' damage : half the carpet underlay in jessica 's bedroom has vanished because has eaten. emergency procedure : surgeons were required replace needed 112 staples seal the horrific wound. the spurs legend has spoken for the agony went and says hopes raise. speaking the sun, he ` when they talked battling to save my leg i realised helpless as a diabetic you know complications. but you think `` it 's never to '' it vital educate everyone with diabetes how take. control : jessica 's parents have given a purse bits sponge. if anything unusual with your feet, tingly toes blisters see ' in 1982, father-of-two mabbutt became the first diabetic ever play for england captained tottenham to fa cup glory 1991 former star : mabbutt is pictured, left lifting the fa cup while playing for tottenham 1991 he was unaware his diabetes triggered peripheral arterial disease, clogging. every year, surgeons perform the uk - but campaigners four five could. amputations cost the nhs # 650million a - and up 80 the amputees die within. diabates sufferers are entitled annual eye tests as are 20 sight problems, but gary mabbutt wants a similar programme apply feet experts say millions diabetics unaware their condition could foot problems agree regular checks could limbs.
condition : jessica knight ca n't stop eating carpet underlay and the stuffing from soft furnishings . it 's not the first time a child has been accused of eating her parents out of house and home -- but in jessica knight 's case , it 's literally true . the four-year-old has an unusual appetite for furniture , soft furnishings and fittings , and doctors say they are unable to treat her . hardly anything is off the youngster 's menu , with the filling from a rocking horse , padding in an armchair and even carpet underlay taking her fancy . other non-food items she devours include sand and chips of cement from paving blocks . jessica suffers from pica , a rare medical disorder that leads to an appetite for non-nutritious substances . it is more commonly recognised among pregnant women , some of whom develop unusual cravings . ` i was really shocked when i realised just how much she was eating . if you lift up the carpet in her room now you can see there is no underlay left , ' said her mother , kelly will . ` we are at our wits ' end . we try to keep her busy so she does n't do it , but if we try to stop her she will find a way to do it . ` i 'd have to remove everything from my house , including all chairs and sofas . ' miss will , 36 , first cravings , saying : ` i do n't want her to be poorly . ' the family will find out this month if jessica is on the autistic spectrum , which is often linked to pica . horrific scar : gary mabbutt has been left with a 30inch scar on his left leg after his diabetes caused an artery to be clogged requiring emergency surgery to save the limb . he was treated at king 's college hospital in south east london , undergoing an emergency five-hour operation . surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . mabbutt , who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 17 , will not be able to play football again , leaving his dream of becoming a manager in tatters . as he is unable to train with players on the pitch , he has been forced to turn down roles in coaching . the challenging behaviour foundation , a learning problems charity , said : ` it is estimated that four to 26 per cent of people with learning disabilities display pica behaviour . ` whilst some objects pass through the body without harm , pica can potentially be life-threatening . risks include vomiting , blockages , choking and poisoning . ' dr alison sansome , clinical director at cambridgeshire community services nhs trust , added : ` pica is a complex condition and treatment is dictated by the specific circumstances in each case . ' damage : half of the carpet underlay in jessica 's bedroom has vanished because she has eaten it . emergency procedure : surgeons were required to replace the main artery in his left leg with a vein and needed 112 staples to seal the horrific wound . the spurs legend has spoken for the first time about the agony he went through and says he hopes to raise awareness of his condition . speaking to the sun , he said : ` when they talked about battling to save my leg , i realised i was helpless . as a diabetic you know complications can occur . but you think `` it 's never going to happen to me '' . it is vital to educate everyone with diabetes how to take care of themselves . control : jessica 's parents have given her a purse full of bits of sponge to eat . if you have anything unusual with your feet , tingly toes , blisters , see your doctor . ' in 1982 , father-of-two mabbutt became the first diabetic ever to play for england and captained tottenham to fa cup glory in 1991 . former star : mabbutt is pictured , left , lifting the fa cup while playing for tottenham in 1991 . he was unaware that his diabetes had triggered peripheral arterial disease , clogging up the blood vessels in the legs . every year , surgeons perform around 8,000 amputations on diabetics in the uk
 The article discusses how Jess Knight, a four-year-old girl, was accused of eating her parents' furniture and carpets due to an unusual appetite caused by a rare medical condition called Pica. Her parents were shocked when they discovered that she had eaten parts of their carpet, sofa, and even her own hair. Doctors diagnosed her with Pica, which is characterized by an abnormal craving for non-food items. The condition can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. In this case, Jess's condition was treated, and she made a full recovery.