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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy in a student nurse.

Most faculty are not prepared for the possibility of encountering Munchausen syndrome (MS) in nursing students and Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSP) in nursing students' children. When confronted with MS or MSP, their first reaction is often hostility coupled with a sense of betrayal. Given that individuals with this condition are attracted to helping professions, the authors describe both conditions in a case in which a nursing student presented with MS and the student's daughter was a victim of MSP. The focus is on protection of any children and the public, psychiatric treatment for the offender, and assistance for faculty.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Munchausen syndrome.

Munchausen syndrome is a rare condition in which the patient repeatedly seeks medical care for factitious illnesses. With this self-inflicted disease, the patients characteristically travel from one hospital to another, feigning acute, usually spectacular illnesses. The patients willingly submit themselves to extensive as well as invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric disorder that requires psychiatric treatment. Reconstructive surgical procedures may be required to correct the acquired deformities. The difficulty in Munchausen syndrome lies essentially in early recognition of the psychiatric syndrome. Two exceptional cases are reported, and diagnosis and treatment are presented in the light of the current literature.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Cardiopathia fantastica: the cardiac variant of Munchausen syndrome.

Munchausen syndrome is a rare condition in which the patient repeatedly seeks medical care for factitious illnesses. Cardiac Munchausen syndrome was first reported in 1953 and later referred to as cardiopathia fantastica. It is characterized by clinical manifestations of acute cardiac disease that are feigned and recurrent. Cardiopathia fantastica can have a variety of presentations similar to true cardiac disease. Most cases have presented with chest pain simulating acute coronary artery disease, but arrhythmias, hypertensive crises, abnormal biochemistry, and electrocardiographic findings have also been noted. These patients are willing to undergo expensive, invasive, and risky procedures to evaluate their simulated illness. This condition is likely to be significantly underreported. In some patients, the presence of abnormal findings that are clinically insignificant may complicate the investigative approach. Patients with this disorder consume a disproportionate amount of health care dollars and sometimes are left with residual deficits as complications of invasive procedures. In this review, we discuss the recognition, manifestations, and treatment of cardiopathia fantastica.

Arrhythmias, Cardiac↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pseudoadolescent Munchausen syndrome.

Munchausen syndrome has not been reported in adolescents. We report two cases in young adults who, because they feigned adolescence, were first seen by pediatricians and then treated on a locked adolescent psychiatric ward. Their presentations resembled Munchausen syndrome, but included prominent factitious psychological symptoms as well as factitious physical symptoms. These cases are discussed in relation to the syndrome's classification, natural history, and associated character pathology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Pregnant women with Munchausen syndrome.

Munchausen syndrome is relatively common in pregnant women. Ten cases are presented. The symptoms may be anything that will achieve hospital admission. Our experience suggests that the patients be allowed to consider themselves ill so that escalation of their illness can be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Witchcraft's syndrome: Munchausen's syndrome by proxy.

A 28-year-old man presented to the Dermatology Outpatient Department with a complaint of a burning sensation and soreness over his left cheek and left ear of 10 days duration. It had started suddenly one morning when he woke up from sleep. He noticed a large blister with intense redness over his left cheek, associated with a burning sensation. There was a history of similar episodes over the past year, and all were sudden in onset, involved the cheeks, and were noticed after waking up from sleep. The patient volunteered that the episodes were always associated with a drinking spree the previous night. The individual was a healthy man with a wife and two children. The patient had been dependent on alcohol for the past year, and had been consuming alcohol for many years. On examination, there was an eschar occupying almost the entire cheek, with a few scattered lesions over the left tragus and left external ear. Peripheral scarring was noted with hyperpigmentation. While the angle of the mouth was superficially involved on the left side, the oral mucosa was normal. The right cheek also showed a few areas of scarring with patches of alopecia. There were no similar lesions elsewhere on the body. The peculiar history and the morphology of the lesion, that defied any classical diagnosis description, prompted us to interrogate both the man and his wife with regard to any serious differences. After much persuasion and on assurance of secrecy, the wife admitted that her husband was an alcoholic and was neglecting his family. When her efforts to prevent his drinking failed, she resorted to this drastic measure. Each time he passed out after a drinking bout, she poured acid on his cheek, hoping that the sequelae would frighten him from drinking. The acid was readily available to her as she used it for domestic cleaning. The couple were sent for psychiatric evaluation as Munchausen's syndrome by proxy (MSBP) or witchcraft's syndrome (WS) was suspected. Detailed psychiatric evaluation, together with psychometric assessment, revealed that the patient had an alcohol dependence (Axis-I diagnosis) and had a cyclothymic personality. Severe marital discord due to alcohol dependence had been present for the past 2 years. Evaluation of the patient's wife revealed that she was under significant psychologic distress. She showed major depressive symptoms with a histrionic personality. She revealed that she had resorted to using the corrosive out of frustration and anger over the behavior of the patient while he was in an inebriated state. The couple are currently undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Munchausen syndrome by proxy abuse: a foundation for adult Munchausen syndrome.

Symptoms fabricated by the mother, and abnormal maternal pressurising of medical staff, resulted in misinterpretation of sweat test results and a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis in a two year old child. Her mother refused to accept later medical evidence which irrefutably showed this diagnosis to be wrong. The child was extensively investigated and for most of her childhood was treated for pancreatic malabsorption. She progressed from an innocent child victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy abuse to an accomplice in her mother's deception, and finally to adult Munchausen Syndrome behaviour. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy abuse may programme a child into developing adult Munchausen Syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Munchausen syndrome].

The Munchausen Syndrome is characterized by the tireless and repeated attempts, carried out by the affected individual, to obtain hospitalization following an extremely credible and dramatic representation of physical symptoms. This condition was described at first by Asher in 1951; the author saw fit to link the syndrome to the name of the Baron of Munchausen, the character described by Raspe, famous for the tendency to tell lies concerning his invented adventurous life, thus highlighting what is the main element of the disease which is the tendency to lie to the doctors about one's health, filling one own's life with dramatic events (pseudologia fantastica). The purpose of this article is to offer a comprehensive review of some of the literature dedicated to the factitious disorders, with particular stress on the psychiatric and psychodynamic interpretations offered throughout the years.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

Psychologic morbidity of children subjected to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is being recognized and reported with increasing frequency, which suggests that it is more common and occurs with a wider spectrum of severity than was previously suspected. In past reports, the difficulties of detecting and documenting the syndrome have been emphasized, as well as its physical morbidity and mortality. The psychologic morbidity of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in six children is described. The children reacted with developmentally appropriate behavior problems ranging from feeding disorders in infants, withdrawal and hyperactivity in preschool-aged children, to hysterical disorders and personal adoption of Munchausen syndrome behavior in adolescents. Parental psychologic and behavioral styles, family dynamics, and responses from legal and children's protective services systems make protection of the child within the home difficult, if not impossible. Even with protection from further physical injury, severe psychologic trauma remains likely. Extreme caution is suggested in allowing these children to remain in the family.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a form of child abuse in which a disorder of the child is fabricated by a parent. Although often considered rare, it may have been overlooked frequently in the past. The reported cases of children with Munchausen syndrome by proxy range in age from infancy to 8 years. Their "illnesses" consist of fabricated histories, inflicted physical findings, altered laboratory specimens, and induced disorders. The perpetrator usually is the child's mother, who may have Munchausen syndrome. Consequences of the syndrome may include painful tests, frequent hospitalizations, potentially harmful treatment, and death. The diagnosis can be made when medical and social histories are characteristic of the syndrome and clinical findings are absent, suggestive of induced illness, or resolve upon separation of the child and parent. Suspicion of the syndrome should be discussed with the family once the safety of the child is insured, and the case should be reported under the child abuse reporting law of the state. Social, family, and medical histories must be obtained and verified, and court intervention should be considered. Four patients who illustrate typical features of the syndrome are described.

Child↗
PubMed1997

[Munchausen syndrome by proxy].

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a form of child abuse presenting as a disease produced or simulated by a parent, the mother in most cases. Its diagnosis is uneasy because of its miscellaneous and unusual clinical presentation and of the misleading apparently normal attitude of the parents. Physicians may participate in the abuse by insistently looking for diagnostic and therapeutic measures, therefore contributing to the significant mortality of the syndrome. It is therefore important that physicians consider Munchausen syndrome in any ambiguous situation in order to protect the child by an early diagnosis.

Child↗
PubMed2004

[Munchausen syndrome: update].

Munchausen's syndrome has been described by Asher (1951) on the basis of 4 remaining permanent criteria, beyond its numerous expressive symptoms. The present work describes the usual process undergoing during their contacts with hospitals, collecting diagnosis criteria and differential diagnosis. Etiology hypothesis, possibilities of treatment, will be discussed both in a reflexive and preventive perspective, regarding the very high costs thus inferred, in terms of health (of the patients and the medical teams), and of financial and legal problems.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is the falsification of symptoms by parents which results in their children having unnecessary and sometimes harmful hospital procedures. We describe a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in a 15 month-old toddler. The diagnosis, management and outcome of this syndrome is also discussed.

Child Abuse↗
PubMed1988

The family systems of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy describes a parent who fabricates the appearance of physical illness in a child. Previous descriptions of the syndrome have focused exclusively upon medical or psychiatric assessments of the involved child and perpetrating parent. The family evaluations of two cases presented here suggest that Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy may be a systemic syndrome generated when a mother already possessing a somatoform or factitious disorder joins an enmeshed, authoritarian family system possessing a systemic history of exploitation of children. We suggest that measures instituted to protect the abused child must take into account the systemic function of the Munchausen by Proxy behavior in maintaining family stability, lest such measures be rendered ineffective by family members. When there is ongoing victimization of perpetrating parents in a similar pattern of dominance/submission within their own family of origin, disruption of these intergenerational patterns of exploitation may be a necessary component of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The perversion of mothering: Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a seemingly caring and concerned mother is simultaneously harming her child, can best be understood in terms of the mother's need for a relationship with a physician that is rooted in a profound sense of early abandonment. This understanding broadens the definition of perversions. The infant in this sadomasochistic interaction is dehumanized and is used as a fetishistic object to control the relationship. The author's literature review and case report provide the basis for his exploration of the historical, cultural, and psychological factors that both contribute to the development of the syndrome and conspire to deny its reality.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Ethical use of covert videoing techniques in detecting Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is an especially malignant form of child abuse in which the carer (usually the mother) fabricates or exacerbates illness in the child to obtain medical attention. It can result in serious illness and even death of the child and it is difficult to detect. Some investigators have used video to monitor the carer's interaction with the child without obtaining consent--covert videoing. The technique presents several ethical problems, including exposure of the child to further abuse and a breach of trust between carer, child, and the professionals. Although covert videoing can be justified in restricted circumstances, new abuse procedures under the Children Act now seem to make its use unethical in most cases. Sufficient evidence should mostly be obtained from separation of the child and carer or videoing with consent to enable action to be taken to protect the child under an assessment order. If the new statutory instruments prove ineffective in Munchausen syndrome by proxy covert videoing may need to be re-evaluated.

Child↗
PubMed1980

Munchausen syndrome and necrophilia.

Munchausen syndrome and necrophilia are uncommon disorders which do not appear to be related. It is suggested, however, that both of them center on "return to the womb" fantasies and may represent variants of each other. Specifically, the Munchausen patient's symptom triad (factitious illness, peregrination, pseudologia fantastica) is seen to reflect a wish for death and reunion with the maternal object.

Attitude to Death↗