Update on Munchausen syndrome by proxy

Current Opinion in Pediatrics

Volumn 17, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 252-257

  Galvin, Hannah K ^a   Newton, Alice W ^a,b   Vandeven, Andrea M ^a,b  

^a HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL   (United States)

^b BOSTON CHILDREN S HOSPITAL   (United States)

Author keywords

Child abuse; Fabricated illness; Factitious disorder; Munchausen syndrome; Munchausen syndrome by proxy

Indexed keywords

CELIAC DISEASE; CHILD; CHILD WELFARE; CLINICAL FEATURE; CLINICAL PRACTICE; DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS; EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA; HUMAN; LEGAL ASPECT; MORTALITY; MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY; PHYSICIAN ATTITUDE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; RECIDIVISM; REVIEW; SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME; UNITED KINGDOM;

CHILD; CHILD ABUSE; DIAGNOSIS, DIFFERENTIAL; FEMALE; HUMANS; INFANT, NEWBORN; MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY; PHYSICIAN'S ROLE; SUDDEN INFANT DEATH;

EID: 17144428130     PISSN: 10408703     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/01.mop.0000158729.18551.dd     Document Type: Review

References (23)

1. Meadow R. Munchausen syndrome by proxy. The hinterland of child abuse. Lancet 1977; 2:343-345.
2. Haddad HM. Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Ophthalmology 2004; 111:407.
3. Sharif I. Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Pediatr Rev 2004; 25:215-216. This is a brief review of MBP that sumrrarizes the topic very well, giving current statistics and recommendations for prcviders.
4. Schreier H. Munchausen by proxy. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 2004; 34:126-143. This is an excellent review article that addresses the topic in depth, partially in a case-based format. Highly recommended for physicians who want to better understand the condition and how best to intervene.
5. Feldman MD. Munchausen by proxy and malingering by proxy. Psychosomatics 2004; 45:365-366.
6. Reece RM, Ludwig S, editors. Munchausen syndrome by proxy. In: Child Abuse: Medical Diagnosis and Management. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001:363-384.
7. Larcher V. Non-accidental injury. Hosp Med 2004; 65:365-368. This is a nice review of physical abuse in general, including MBP, focusing on detection.
8. Schreier HA. Error in Munchausen by proxy defined. Pediatrics 2004; 113:1851-1852.
9. Terry L. Fabricated or induced illness in children. Paediatr Nurs 2004; 16:14-18.
10. Hall DE, Eubanks L, Meyyazhagan S, et al. Evaluation of covert video surveillance in the diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome by proxy: lessons from 41 cases. Pediatrics 2000; 105:1305-1312.
11. Rogers R. Diagnostic, explanatory, and detection models of Munchausen by proxy: extrapolations from malingering and deception. Child Abuse Negl 2004; 28:225-239.
12. Yonge O, Haase M. Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy in a student nurse. Nurse Educ 2004; 29:166-169. This is a case study of a nursing student who manifested signs of fabricated illness in herself, and was found to be falsifying illness in her daughter as well. Notably, it addresses the issues healthcare professionals ace when faced with suspicions about one of their own.
13. Ulinski T, Lhopital C, Cloppet H, et al. Munchausen syndrome by proxy with massive proteinuria and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Pediatr Nephrol 2004; 19:798-800. The authors describe an interesting case involving exogenous contamination of a child's urine with human albumin, mimicking protein-wasting nephropathy. The almost pure albuminuria was only detected using protein electrophoresis.
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15. McGovern MC, Smith MBH. Causes of apparent life threatening events in infants: a systematic review. Arch Dis Child 2004; 89:1043-1048. This meta-analysis was conducted to determine the most likely diagnoses of infants presenting with ALTE. It provides an excellent flow-chart for the initial work-up of ALTE.
16. Craft AW, Hall DMB. Munchausen syndrome by proxy and sudden infant death. BMJ 2004; 328:1309-1312. Written in response to the recent legal issues in the UK, this article briefly reviews our current understanding of both SIDS and induced apnea, and offers suggestions for restoring the public's faith in pediatricians and child protection workers.
17. Lasher LJ, Feldman MD. Celiac disease as a manifestation of Munchausen by proxy. South Med J 2004; 97:67-69. This is the first case reported in the literature of celiac sprue as the primary fabricated illness in a case of MBP. It emphasizes the psychological manipulation of perpetrators and the many adverse effects this can have for the child.
18. Meadow R. Unnatural sudden infant death. Arch Dis Child 1999; 80:7-14.
19. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. Distinguishing sudden infant death syndrome from child abuse fatalities. Pediatrics 2001; 107:437-441.
20. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Apnea, sudden infant death syndrome, and home monitoring. Pediatrics 2003; 11:914-917.
21. Dyer C. Parents convicted of killing to have their cases reviewed. BMJ 2004; 328:183. This news report briefly documents the recent highly publicized reversal of convictions in three cases of mothers suspected of killing their children, leading to public outcry for the review of similar cases.
22. Dyer C. Eight cases of parents convicted of killing their children are referred to commission. BMJ 2004; 329:878. This news report briefly documents the fact that although several hundred convictions were referred to the British Attorney General, only eight have been selected to possible candidates for appeal.
23. Dyer C. Review of child care cases finds few instances that raise 'serious doubt.' BMJ 2004; 329:1256.