Maunchausen by Proxy Syndrome: Mothers Who Kill or Maim

Maunchausen by Proxy syndrome: Mothers Who Kill or maim.

I. A BRIEF HISTORY

A. Maunchausen by proxy syndrome is a deadly disorder in which awareness must be raised. It is characterized by a care giver, usually the parent and in most cases, the Mother, causing illness in her child. The disorder is named after Baron Von Maunchausen. The symptoms are usually hard to diagnose at first, but are more prevalent when the child only becomes sick in the presence of the caregiver, i.e. the mother. The mother - doctor relationship is as close as can get as the whole disorder centers on attention for the mother. Most authorities agree upon that the root cause of MBPS is a craving for attention and compassion for the mother. Treatments have varied but the most plausible is intensive therapy

It is also perplexing. MBPS involves an apparent deeply caring mother who repeatedly fabricates symptoms or provokes actual illnesses in her helpless infant or child. MBPS was first described in 1977 by Meadow; since then more than 200 MBPS related articles have appeared, the majority being case descriptions. Understanding the dynamics of this disorder is of dire importance because growing evidence shows that it is more common than previously believed and it is devastating if not fatal for the children and infants. It is also important to mention the effects MBPS has on others who become involved in this cases, particularly nurses and physicians.

Maybe the most important aspect of this syndrome is the immense ability of the mother to fool doctors and the vulnerability of physicians to her manipulations. The hospital, which is the most common setting for MBPS cases, is where as much as 75% of the MBPS-related morbidity occurs as a consequence of attempts by physicians to diagnose and treat the affected child or infant. More than 98% of MBPS cases involve female perpetrators. Even the most experienced pediatricians often miss evident clues left by these mothers.

Maunchausen by proxy syndrome was named after an 18th century German dignitary named Baron Von Maunchausen, his claim to fame was telling outlandish stories. The first time the name was used medically was in 1951 by Dr.Richard Asher to describe self-induced illness. Asher came across the name Baron Hieronymus Karl Friedrich Freiherr von Maunchausen in fictional accounts of his stories published in 1785. Because of the correlation between Baron Von Munchausen's fictional stories and the exaggerated and made up symptoms of a person with this disorder the term Maunchausen was coined.

II. What is Maunchausen

A. When confronted with the question," what is Maunchausen syndrome by proxy?" the majority of the people will shrug their shoulders and look befuddled. They are unaware that this is a disorder that claims 9% of the children it affects. Some are even unaware that it is a syndrome at all. Maunchausen or otherwise known as factitious disorder by proxy is a disorder that is psychological in nature, and is characteritized by a pattern of behavior in which someone, usually a mother, induces physical illness upon another person usually her child. The mother attempts to gain attention and recognition for herself by putting on the public faÐ*ade of dedicated and loving mother, while secretly inflicting her child with a barrage of illness from the stomach bug to viral infections, while extreme cases reported shows perpetrators injecting the child with human feces or HIV tainted blood. The child is a victim of maltreatment at the hand of his or her mother, in which she falsifies physical and or psychological signs and symptoms in the child causing the child to be regarded as sick or ill. Children who fall prey to this disorder need extensive medical attention. Most children under go unneeded physically painful tests and procedures such as surgery.

III. PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES

A. There is various theories regarding the likely causes of MSBP.Some theorize that the mother may feel that a sick child can draw her closer to her spouse. More likely though, the mother suffered from an emotionally void childhood with abuse both physically and emotional occurring throughout adolescence to young adulthood. Most are likely depressed and suffer from insecurities, therefore turning their frustrations and shortcomings in to abusive behavior, towards their children which in turn produces gratifying attention for themselves. Others are remarkably victims themselves of this disorder and now perpetuate the cycle again. Mothers often wonder from the bedside vigils to let the hospital deal with the responsibility of parenthood and seek other mothers and family's to bond with in an attempt to gain symphony for herself. Their sick child helps them establish a common bond with other mothers in the hospital and thus makes the mother feel as if she fits in An absent spouse leaves plenty of time alone with the child to inflict injuries on,