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Munchausen by proxy

MedGen UID:
88372
•Concept ID:
C0085277
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonym: Munchausen by proxy syndrome
SNOMED CT: Munchausen's by proxy (95637005); Münchausen syndrome by proxy (95637005); Munchausen syndrome by proxy (95637005); Factitious disorder imposed on another (95637005)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0000597

Definition

A disorder in which a caregiver deliberately exaggerates, fabricates, or induces physical, psychological, or behavioral health problems in another person, typically someone under their care, such as a child, elderly adult, or an individual with a disability. This behavior is driven by a psychological need in the caregiver to gain attention and sympathy by having others (the person under their care) seen as ill or injured. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVMunchausen by proxy

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Evaluation and Management of Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another.
Bursch B, Emerson ND, Sanders MJ
J Clin Psychol Med Settings 2021 Mar;28(1):67-77. doi: 10.1007/s10880-019-09668-6. PMID: 31612305
Psychological Treatment of Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another/Munchausen by Proxy Abuse.
Sanders MJ, Bursch B
J Clin Psychol Med Settings 2020 Mar;27(1):139-149. doi: 10.1007/s10880-019-09630-6. PMID: 31089919

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Care taker blogs in caregiver fabricated illness in a child: a window on the caretaker's thinking?
Brown AN, Gonzalez GR, Wiester RT, Kelley MC, Feldman KW
Child Abuse Negl 2014 Mar;38(3):488-97. Epub 2014 Jan 4 doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.12.002. PMID: 24393290
Considering suffocatory abuse and Munchausen by proxy in the evaluation of children experiencing apparent life-threatening events and sudden infant death syndrome.
Truman TL, Ayoub CC
Child Maltreat 2002 May;7(2):138-48. doi: 10.1177/1077559502007002006. PMID: 12020070
Position paper: definitional issues in Munchausen by proxy.
Ayoub CC, Alexander R, Beck D, Bursch B, Feldman KW, Libow J, Sanders MJ, Schreier HA, Yorker B; APSAC Taskforce on Munchausen by Proxy, Definitions Working Group
Child Maltreat 2002 May;7(2):105-11. doi: 10.1177/1077559502007002002. PMID: 12020066
Munchausen by proxy and brain damage.
Meadow R
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):672-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04508.x. PMID: 6510567
Polymicrobial bacteremia due to Polle syndrome: the child abuse variant of Munchausen by proxy.
Liston TE, Levine PL, Anderson C
Pediatrics 1983 Aug;72(2):211-3. PMID: 6866607

Diagnosis

Cutaneous Ulcers, Delusional Disorders and Munchausen by Proxy: From Somatic to Psychological Diagnosis and Approach.
Nico MMS, Dwan AJ
Acta Derm Venereol 2022 Feb 22;102:adv00654. doi: 10.2340/actadv.v102.677. PMID: 35146526Free PMC Article
Munchausen syndrome by proxy and pediatric nephrology.
Bertulli C, Cochat P
Nephrol Ther 2017 Nov;13(6):482-484. Epub 2017 Jun 9 doi: 10.1016/j.nephro.2016.12.006. PMID: 28606407
Munchausen by proxy.
Schreier H
Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care 2004 Mar;34(3):126-43. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2003.09.003. PMID: 15039661
Munchausen by proxy defined.
Schreier H
Pediatrics 2002 Nov;110(5):985-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.110.5.985. PMID: 12415040
Munchausen by proxy and brain damage.
Meadow R
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):672-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04508.x. PMID: 6510567

Therapy

Criminal poisoning: Munchausen by proxy.
Holstege CP, Dobmeier SG
Clin Lab Med 2006 Mar;26(1):243-53, x. doi: 10.1016/j.cll.2006.02.002. PMID: 16567234
Hypoglycemic seizure in Munchausen-by-proxy syndrome.
Araníbar H, Cerda M
Pediatr Emerg Care 2005 Jun;21(6):378-9. doi: 10.1097/01.pec.0000166729.86094.80. PMID: 15942516
Hypoglycemia: factitious and felonious.
Marks V, Teale JD
Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1999 Sep;28(3):579-601. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8529(05)70089-x. PMID: 10500932
Surreptitious warfarin ingestion.
White ST, Voter K, Perry J
Child Abuse Negl 1985;9(3):349-52. doi: 10.1016/0145-2134(85)90031-6. PMID: 4052840
Munchausen by proxy and brain damage.
Meadow R
Dev Med Child Neurol 1984 Oct;26(5):672-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1984.tb04508.x. PMID: 6510567

Prognosis

Care taker blogs in caregiver fabricated illness in a child: a window on the caretaker's thinking?
Brown AN, Gonzalez GR, Wiester RT, Kelley MC, Feldman KW
Child Abuse Negl 2014 Mar;38(3):488-97. Epub 2014 Jan 4 doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2013.12.002. PMID: 24393290
Munchausen by proxy: a case, chart series, and literature review of older victims.
Awadallah N, Vaughan A, Franco K, Munir F, Sharaby N, Goldfarb J
Child Abuse Negl 2005 Aug;29(8):931-41. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.11.007. PMID: 16125235
Munchausen by proxy defined.
Schreier H
Pediatrics 2002 Nov;110(5):985-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.110.5.985. PMID: 12415040
Considering suffocatory abuse and Munchausen by proxy in the evaluation of children experiencing apparent life-threatening events and sudden infant death syndrome.
Truman TL, Ayoub CC
Child Maltreat 2002 May;7(2):138-48. doi: 10.1177/1077559502007002006. PMID: 12020070
Culture and Munchausen-by-proxy syndrome: the case of an 11-year-old boy presenting with hyperactivity.
Amirali EL, Bezonsky R, McDonough R
Can J Psychiatry 1998 Aug;43(6):632-5; discussion 635-7. doi: 10.1177/070674379804300614. PMID: 9729693

Clinical prediction guides

Fabricated or induced illness: From "Munchausen by proxy" to child and family-oriented action.
Glaser D
Child Abuse Negl 2020 Oct;108:104649. Epub 2020 Aug 14 doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104649. PMID: 32805620
Molecular mechanisms of neonatal hyperinsulinism.
Giurgea I, Bellanné-Chantelot C, Ribeiro M, Hubert L, Sempoux C, Robert JJ, Blankenstein O, Hussain K, Brunelle F, Nihoul-Fékété C, Rahier J, Jaubert F, de Lonlay P
Horm Res 2006;66(6):289-96. Epub 2006 Sep 26 doi: 10.1159/000095938. PMID: 17003566
Munchausen by proxy: a case, chart series, and literature review of older victims.
Awadallah N, Vaughan A, Franco K, Munir F, Sharaby N, Goldfarb J
Child Abuse Negl 2005 Aug;29(8):931-41. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.11.007. PMID: 16125235
The pneumographic and medical investigation of infants suffering apparent life threatening episodes.
Rahilly PM
J Paediatr Child Health 1991 Dec;27(6):349-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1991.tb00417.x. PMID: 1756076
The bacteriologically battered baby: another case of Munchausen by proxy.
Hodge D 3rd, Schwartz W, Sargent J, Bodurtha J, Starr S
Ann Emerg Med 1982 Apr;11(4):205-7. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(82)80499-x. PMID: 7073037

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