Is being a hypochondriac "contagious"?

[Papa Deuce]

I'm only a little bit kidding here. One of the girls that lives next to me always is, or claims to be sick.... She misses a lot of time from school, which is wierd since her mom is a teacher.

Well, anyway, she walks my daughters home from school several days a week, and I am starting to notice that my one daughter is starting to say she is sick all the time, even when she shows no symptoms of being sick.

Last week, she looked fine, no teperature, no cough, no sneezing..... nothing wrong I could see. So I asked her why she said she was sick. She repiled "Because Sarah told me I was".....

So what I now need to do, I think, is tell this girl next door that she is not allowed to talk to my daughter about "being sick" unless my daughter is very obviously sick. I don't really know if being a hypochondiac is really "contagious", but I am starting to think so.

What do you think?

 

[Michelle67]

All kinds of bad habits are "contagious" between kids. Teenagers too, unfortunately. Good luck with that.

 

[OceanAnnie]

All kinds of bad habits are "contagious" between kids. Teenagers too, unfortunately. Good luck with that.

Isn't that the truth!

I'd probably re-think having this girl walk the kids home if she has this issue. How old is she? I probably would have a talk with my DD and explain that you can't be talked into to being sick, someone can't say you are sick and make it so, and it like "crying wolf" to say you are sick when you aren't.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Isn't that the truth!

I'd probably re-think having this girl walk the kids home if she has this issue. How old is she? I probably would have a talk with my DD and explain that you can't be talked into to being sick, someone can't say you are sick and make it so, and it like "crying wolf" to say you are sick when you aren't.

She is 16... so, like I said, I think I need to tell her that she can't talk to my kids about being sick. She walks them home and watches them until my mom gets over to watch them.

 

[Imzadi]

Yes, environment greatly influences who people become, not just children. There is a saying, "Show me your friends, and I'll show you who you'll be in 5 years."

The power of the group is invaluable.

If children hang around gangs, they will become gang members.

Children who hang around smokers will most likely smoke.

If, instead, you place them around positive friends, role models & mentors, they absorb those attitudes, thoughts & behaviors and will most likely start modeling those people and succeed.

If children hang around hypochondriacs, they will probably pick up some of that mindset & sensitivities. How are they to know, that's not "normal"? It IS normal in their environment when exposed to it on a daily basis.

 

[Serena]

Well if the friend can tell her she's sick and so she is. Then you can tell her she's healthy and that be so, correct? Unless this kid has some kind of magic powers that spread sickness by her say so.
I'd ask how it works, so you can find just the right magic potion to combat it.




But my kids know I'm a smart you know what and would crack up.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Nothing like Munchausen syndrome in teens

 

[Papa Deuce]

Nothing like Munchausen syndrome in teens

Now I need to go google....

 

[debster812]

It could also be a case of 'hero-worship' I know DS (who's a bit older than your girls) has 2 college aged soccer coaches whom he absolutely ADORES and IDOLIZES. He emulates them in lots of ways. However, they are terrific role models, so we're OK with it.

I know that little kids want to be like the big kids that they are around. So, I don't think that the alleged hypochondria is contagious, I think it's just your daughter wanting to be like the older girl.

 

[Imzadi]

Nothing like Munchausen syndrome in teens

Eek! The Munchausen Syndrome episode of Law & Order: SVU was really disturbing. I think it was the one that was "inspired" by the Michael Jackson type person who liked kids. And the mother who found a way to capitalize on it by perposely making her kid sick she almost died, so she could win sympathy & get a nice lawsuit settlement out of the "MJ"character.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Eek! The Munchausen Syndrome episode of Law & Order: SVU was really disturbing. I think it was the one that was "inspired" by the Michael Jackson type person who liked kids. And the mother who found a way to capitalize on it by perposely making her kid sick she almost died, so she could win sympathy & get a nice lawsuit settlement out of the "MJ"character.

That's Munchausen by Proxy (when you make someone else sick to get attention for yourself). Another scary (although also fictional) case is the mother poisoning her child in "The Sixth Sense". Munchausen Syndrome is when you pretend to be sick to get attention.

 

[Papa Deuce]

It could also be a case of 'hero-worship' I know DS (who's a bit older than your girls) has 2 college aged soccer coaches whom he absolutely ADORES and IDOLIZES. He emulates them in lots of ways. However, they are terrific role models, so we're OK with it.

I know that little kids want to be like the big kids that they are around. So, I don't think that the alleged hypochondria is contagious, I think it's just your daughter wanting to be like the older girl.

Oh, that is what I absolutely think.... but does that change the end results? These two call each other "The Cupcake Sisters".....

 

[Imzadi]

Oh, that is what I absolutely think.... but does that change the end results? These two call each other "The Cupcake Sisters".....

No, a child can model negative behaviors just as easily as positive behaviors, especially when the person they are modeling/emulating is an emotional hook for them. That's the power of Environment.

 

[tchrrx]

Yes! I see it frequently in my classroom. All it takes is one child not feeling well (whether it's true or not) for the entire classroom to decide that they are ill. My DD complained about not feeling well a lot more last year (with hypochondriac classmates) than she has this year with different classmates.