Munchausen Syndrome
Munchausen Syndrome 1
Running head: Munchausen Syndrome
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy 5
References
Author: Ibrahim Abdulhamid, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Wayne State University; Director of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Clinical Director of Pediatric Sleep Laboratory, Children 's Hospital of Michigan
Coauthor(s): Patricia T Siegel, PhD, Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Updated: Mar 26, 2008
Mary E. Muscari, PhD, CPNP, APRN-BC
Experts And Viewpoint, Medscape Nurses, April 2008
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy 2
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy I chose to write my paper on Munchausen Syndrome by proxy because I find it very fascinating and disturbing that people could actually harm their children or themselves for attention. Munchausen syndrome is a condition in which a person intentionally fakes, simulates, worsens, or self-induces an injury or illness for the main purpose of being treated like a medical patient. The term Munchausen syndrome is often used interchangeably with factitious disorder. Factitious disorder refers to any illness that is intentionally produced for the main purpose of assuming the sick role, although that purpose is unknown to the "sick" person. Munchausen syndrome most appropriately describes persons who have a chronic variant of a factitious disorder with mostly physical signs and symptoms, although there are reports regarding psychological Munchausen syndrome, meaning that the simulated symptoms are psychiatric. Persons with Munchausen syndrome intentionally cause signs and symptoms of an illness or injury by inflicting medical harm to their body, often to the point of having to be hospitalized. They may lie about or fake symptoms. They are sometimes eager to undergo invasive medical interventions. They are also known to move from doctor to doctor, hospital to
Running head: Munchausen Syndrome
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy 5
References
Author: Ibrahim Abdulhamid, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Wayne State University; Director of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Clinical Director of Pediatric Sleep Laboratory, Children 's Hospital of Michigan
Coauthor(s): Patricia T Siegel, PhD, Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Updated: Mar 26, 2008
Mary E. Muscari, PhD, CPNP, APRN-BC
Experts And Viewpoint, Medscape Nurses, April 2008
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy 2
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy I chose to write my paper on Munchausen Syndrome by proxy because I find it very fascinating and disturbing that people could actually harm their children or themselves for attention. Munchausen syndrome is a condition in which a person intentionally fakes, simulates, worsens, or self-induces an injury or illness for the main purpose of being treated like a medical patient. The term Munchausen syndrome is often used interchangeably with factitious disorder. Factitious disorder refers to any illness that is intentionally produced for the main purpose of assuming the sick role, although that purpose is unknown to the "sick" person. Munchausen syndrome most appropriately describes persons who have a chronic variant of a factitious disorder with mostly physical signs and symptoms, although there are reports regarding psychological Munchausen syndrome, meaning that the simulated symptoms are psychiatric. Persons with Munchausen syndrome intentionally cause signs and symptoms of an illness or injury by inflicting medical harm to their body, often to the point of having to be hospitalized. They may lie about or fake symptoms. They are sometimes eager to undergo invasive medical interventions. They are also known to move from doctor to doctor, hospital to
References: Contributor Information and Disclosures Updated: Mar 26, 2008