Munchausen by Proxy . . .

[Deb in IA]

This disorder was brought up last week, in a thread about brain tumors.

Interestingly, there is an informative news article about this diagnosis on ABCnews, and I thought it was worth sharing:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Living/US/munchausen_040920-1.html?HEALTHAd=true

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

It is very sad. I believe it is a very real problem, however it stinks for those parents that are wrongly accused. I hate it when kids get sick.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Interesting.

I just can't even imagine how anyone could purposely make a child sick.

 

[kasar]

I've been interested in this for about 10 years when a friend starting showing some mild symptoms and we all were concerned for her and her baby. She would never injure her child but she did use the emergency room and doctor's office to the extreme. Sometimes for things as mild as ear infections she would call 911 and go to E.R. Her DD was perfectly normal but she could never see it. Really sad, actually when you think about what her child COULD have caught at all those hospital visits. Her younger DD spent a week in Children's Hospital in Boston (maybe they were trying to "catch" her?) and we really hoped that she'd see all the truly ill children and count her lucky stars that her children were fine but she never did. Very sad.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

There was a mother here in my town that was all over the national news a few years back for this...amazingly, when they took the little girl away, she has never been sick again.
It is a terrible thing and I feel bad for the parents that are wrongly accused, but many children die before they ever discover what the parent was doing.

 

[momof2inPA]

Since I first read about Munchausen by proxy in a novel about 10 years ago, it seems that the diagnoses have increased so dramatically, that the majority of the diagnoses must be wrong. It's kind of like the daycare child abuse cases back in the 80's/ early 90's. It's the psychology buzz word of the day. I am sure it happens, rarely, but not often.

 

[Microcell]

I think I have the opposite problem! I always respond to "I have a tummy ache" with "sit on the toilet" Too bad DD had Appendicitis with one of the episodes!

Munchausen is so very interesting. I studied it in school. Strange what someone would do to get attention. I have said before on these boards that I finally understood during her Appendicitis what it was truly like to want to take the pain away from my child, even to assume it for myself when a child is very sick.

I would be interested to see how many of these children had a very serious illness before the mother started doing this. Did they get the idea from an illness or did they just think they could get attention this way?

I got alot of attention but didn't want any of it. I just wanted my baby better. Thank goodness she is!

 

[minniecarousel]

Scary stuff. There was a local foster mother who was acused. Can't recall what ever happened to her.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Deb,
This subject is so interesting. I have also read articles where they claim that the syndrome doesn't really exist. I believe that it does though just from reading first person accounts. Definitely some really scary stuff!

 

[grinningghost]

Really scary disorder. I'm also on the other end of the spectrum. It takes alot for me to go into panic mode with my DD and illnesses. I've had many awful doctor/medical experiences and there's no way I'm running into any medical facility for minor things. I keep away unless absolutely necessary.