Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome
Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome in more extreme cases has become one of the most harmful forms of child abuse. The disorder also known as MBPS for short was named after an 18th century German dignitary, Baron Von Munchausen, who was known for being a habitual outlandish story teller. A perplexing aspect of the syndrome is the ability to manipulate hospital personnel in order to receive medical attention, normally by the child’s caretaker. In a majority of cases children who have outlandish hospital records and/or medical history are victims of this disorder. It is important to remember that MBPS is a relatively uncommon disorder ( New, PhD, 2012).
In 1951, Dr. Richard Asher originally used the term Munchausen syndrome …show more content…
At times they feel as if their lives have spiraled out of control, they may suffer from poor self-esteem and can’t deal with stress or anxiety. It can be prevented however, by noticing the “signs” that are associated with the dissorder. Children usually present doctors with an array of ailments in different organ systems. Reports from the first 20 years after the condition was identified describe 68 symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings in 117 cases of MSBP, with approximately 70% of induced or fictitious symptoms occurring in the hospital. More than 100 symptoms have been reported. The most common symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, seizures, apnea, infections, fevers, bleeding, poisoning, and lethargy (Researchgate). One group reported multiple illnesses in 64% of 56 index children subjected to MBPS ( New, PhD, 2012). Other reports indicate that some children initially present with a single serious event, such as a severe episode of apnea with no previous history of fabrication Another report suggested that intentional suffocation was the cause of about 10% of all sudden infant death syndrome.(E Brannon, MD, 2011) In a series of 135 cases reported by Feldman et al, (2011) 25% of the children had renal or urologic related …show more content…
In addition individuals involved in these persons daily lives should always be cautious when a child has a repeated illness with no reasoning, another child in the family has had an unexplained illness or death, or even when symptoms only occur when the caregiver is with or have previously been in the child’s care. Abuse of the child commonly starts early in life. MBPS is most common among infants and young children. According to Rosenberg, the median age when MSBP is diagnosed is 39.8 months, although children older than this have also been affected. McClure et al (1996) similarly reported a median age of 20 months at diagnosis, with a distribution skewed toward younger
Munchausen By Proxy Syndrome in more extreme cases has become one of the most harmful forms of child abuse. The disorder also known as MBPS for short was named after an 18th century German dignitary, Baron Von Munchausen, who was known for being a habitual outlandish story teller. A perplexing aspect of the syndrome is the ability to manipulate hospital personnel in order to receive medical attention, normally by the child’s caretaker. In a majority of cases children who have outlandish hospital records and/or medical history are victims of this disorder. It is important to remember that MBPS is a relatively uncommon disorder ( New, PhD, 2012).
In 1951, Dr. Richard Asher originally used the term Munchausen syndrome …show more content…
At times they feel as if their lives have spiraled out of control, they may suffer from poor self-esteem and can’t deal with stress or anxiety. It can be prevented however, by noticing the “signs” that are associated with the dissorder. Children usually present doctors with an array of ailments in different organ systems. Reports from the first 20 years after the condition was identified describe 68 symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings in 117 cases of MSBP, with approximately 70% of induced or fictitious symptoms occurring in the hospital. More than 100 symptoms have been reported. The most common symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, seizures, apnea, infections, fevers, bleeding, poisoning, and lethargy (Researchgate). One group reported multiple illnesses in 64% of 56 index children subjected to MBPS ( New, PhD, 2012). Other reports indicate that some children initially present with a single serious event, such as a severe episode of apnea with no previous history of fabrication Another report suggested that intentional suffocation was the cause of about 10% of all sudden infant death syndrome.(E Brannon, MD, 2011) In a series of 135 cases reported by Feldman et al, (2011) 25% of the children had renal or urologic related …show more content…
In addition individuals involved in these persons daily lives should always be cautious when a child has a repeated illness with no reasoning, another child in the family has had an unexplained illness or death, or even when symptoms only occur when the caregiver is with or have previously been in the child’s care. Abuse of the child commonly starts early in life. MBPS is most common among infants and young children. According to Rosenberg, the median age when MSBP is diagnosed is 39.8 months, although children older than this have also been affected. McClure et al (1996) similarly reported a median age of 20 months at diagnosis, with a distribution skewed toward younger