Munchausen By Proxy Essay
The Impact of Munchausen's by Proxy on the Short-term Physiological State and the Psychological Welfare of the Child
Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness in which a perpetrator, usually a caregiver or guardian, induces or fabricates symptoms on a proxy. In the situation where the proxy is a child, it is classified as child abuse due to the high risk present. In most cases, short term morbidity occurs due to either the perpetrator’s maltreatment, prescription of unnecessary medications or the subsequent invasive treatments by medical staff. This form of abuse impairs child development and damages the psychological welfare of the proxy and can lead to anxiety, emotional issues and depression. It also predisposes the proxy to developing …show more content…
Keywords: Factitious disorder, child abuse, neglect, trauma, caregiver-fabricated illness
Introduction
Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder where the individual imitates factitious symptoms intentionally in order to adopt the sick role (Krahn et al. 2003) It is characterised by a strong desire to be hospitalised or to receive treatment. Usually a cycle of treatments with dramatic improvement followed by the reappearance of the same or other medical issues are noted. Regardless that the individual’s claims misalign with the testing done, people affected by Munchausen’s insist on receiving medication or hospitalisation. There are other variations of Factitious disorder including Munchausen’s by proxy, Munchausen by internet and Malingering. Munchausen Syndrome by proxy (MSbP) involves a perpetrator that intentionally fabricates or induces an illness or disease on a …show more content…
The mother repeatedly complained of spasms and was given ceftriaxone to reduce the amount of seizures. At 8 months the child was hospitalised for swelling on her thigh at the injection site for antibiotics for a respiratory tract infection. Despite antibiotic treatment for the swelling, her symptoms did not improve and a thigh abscess formed. Following her two week stay at the Paediatric Intensive Care unit her condition improved rapidly and she had no seizure-like episodes. Once discharged, reports of apnoea attacks and spasm reappeared. (Foto-Ozdemir et al.
Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness in which a perpetrator, usually a caregiver or guardian, induces or fabricates symptoms on a proxy. In the situation where the proxy is a child, it is classified as child abuse due to the high risk present. In most cases, short term morbidity occurs due to either the perpetrator’s maltreatment, prescription of unnecessary medications or the subsequent invasive treatments by medical staff. This form of abuse impairs child development and damages the psychological welfare of the proxy and can lead to anxiety, emotional issues and depression. It also predisposes the proxy to developing …show more content…
Keywords: Factitious disorder, child abuse, neglect, trauma, caregiver-fabricated illness
Introduction
Munchausen syndrome is a mental disorder where the individual imitates factitious symptoms intentionally in order to adopt the sick role (Krahn et al. 2003) It is characterised by a strong desire to be hospitalised or to receive treatment. Usually a cycle of treatments with dramatic improvement followed by the reappearance of the same or other medical issues are noted. Regardless that the individual’s claims misalign with the testing done, people affected by Munchausen’s insist on receiving medication or hospitalisation. There are other variations of Factitious disorder including Munchausen’s by proxy, Munchausen by internet and Malingering. Munchausen Syndrome by proxy (MSbP) involves a perpetrator that intentionally fabricates or induces an illness or disease on a …show more content…
The mother repeatedly complained of spasms and was given ceftriaxone to reduce the amount of seizures. At 8 months the child was hospitalised for swelling on her thigh at the injection site for antibiotics for a respiratory tract infection. Despite antibiotic treatment for the swelling, her symptoms did not improve and a thigh abscess formed. Following her two week stay at the Paediatric Intensive Care unit her condition improved rapidly and she had no seizure-like episodes. Once discharged, reports of apnoea attacks and spasm reappeared. (Foto-Ozdemir et al.