Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Abstract

SUMMARY Information is presented about 19 children, under age 7 years, from 17 families, whose mothers consistently gave fraudulent clinical histories and fabricated signs so causing them needless harmful medical investigations, hospital admissions, and treatment over periods of time ranging from a few months to 4 years. Episodes of bleeding, neurological abnormality, rashes, fevers, and abnormal urine were commonly simulated. Often the mothers had had previous nursing training and some had a history of fabricating symptoms or signs relating to themselves. Two children died. Of the 17 survivors, 8 were taken into care and the other 9 remained at home after arrangements had been made for their supervision. Study of these children and their families has enabled a list of warning signs to be compiled together with recommendations for dealing with suspected acts. The causes and the relationship of this form of behaviour to other forms of non-accidental injury, iatrogenic injury, and parental-induced illness are discussed. The enquiry considered the following aspects: the child, the 'illness' and its perpetration, the consequences and outcome, and the parents. In most cases full details were available for each aspect; in a few information was not sufficient for a particular aspect and so was omitted. Thus the results refer to all 19 children and all 17 families except in instances in which the group total is specified as being smaller than the full number.

A case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy

“…As Roy Meadow so graphically expresses, "Most of us will feel saddened and perhaps ashamed of our repeated investigational assaults on the children, the result of us following our usual practice of trusting the mother and trying to help" 9 ; with hindsight, it seems such a tragic occurrence. With more and more cases being unearthed, it would be most useful to include this condition in the differential diagnosis of apparently baffling symptoms.…”

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in a Saudi Child

“…(Fever of unknown origin [7], failure to thrive, chronic diarrhea [4], cardiorespiratory arrest [12], apnea [3], rashes, cystic fibrosis [10], and convulsions [12]). However, this picture should heighten the awareness of the expanding variety of presentation of this syndrome.…”

Munchausen Hemoptizi: Nadir Görülen Bir Yapay Bozukluk Çeşidi

“…1 Munchausenby Proxy (bakımverenin yapay bozukluğu) ise ilk olarak 1977 yılında, İngiliz pediatrist Ray Meadow tarafından tanımlanan, bakım veren kişi tarafından kasıtlı olarak bakımı altındaki kişilerde hastalık ortaya çıkarılması ile giden bir yapay bozukluk çeşididir. 2 Yapay bozukluk, nadiren ölümcül sonuçlar doğurabilen, bilinçli olarak hasta rolünü benimsemek için oluşturulan, fiziksel ve/veya psikolojik belirtilerle karakterizedir. Yapay bozuklukların, nadir görülen şiddetli ve kronik şekillerinden biri olan Munchausen Sendromu, hastalık oluşturma, patolojik yalan söyleme ve çok sayıda sağlık kuruluşunu ziyaret etme ile karakterizedir.…”