Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy Is A Mental Illness And Form...

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a mental illness and form of child abuse that claims the lives of 9% of its victims (Heffner, 2004). It is defined as, â€Å"a psychological disorder in which a parent, typically a mother, harms her child (as by poisoning), falsifies the child s medical history, or tampers with the child s medical specimens in order to create a situation that requires or seems to require medical attention† (Merriam-Webster, 1977). In most cases, the mother is the abuser and plagues the life of her child and/or children by making them ill in order to receive attention, affection, and love. They thrive on feeling important and needed, and feel accomplished when they succeed in making their child/children ill (Meadow, 1989). Munchausen syndrome by proxy was first recognized as such in 1977. The term â€Å"Munchausen† received its name from a fictional character, Baron Munchausen, who was loosely based on the real-life Munchausen who became somewhat of a c elebrity for telling tall tales about his life as a soldier, hunter, and sportsman. The real Baron, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Mà ¼nchhausen, received the nickname â€Å"The Baron of Lies† which inspired the name of the fictional character (Munchausen, 2015). Munchausen syndrome by proxy is closely related to Munchausen syndrome, in which an adult fabricates and exaggerates stories about themselves in order to be recognized as ill or in pain; However, in a case of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, the mother isShow MoreRelatedMy Search For A Mental Illness I Came Upon Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy1490 Words   |  6 Pages In my search for a mental illness I came upon Munchausen Syndrome by proxy which is a stem from regular Munchausen Syndrome. This mental illness was deep and caught my interest by the complexity of the disease and that cases that have been studied. The horrific cases of said mental illness caught my eye and I knew instantly I had to explore in depth the condition. The love between a mother and her children is an unbreakable bond, until Munchausen Syndrome by proxy takes a role in the relationshipRead MoreEssay Taking a Closer Look at Mà ¼nchausen Syndrome1026 Words   |  5 Pages Mà ¼nchausen syndrome is a psychiatric disorder that is distinguished by the patient causing or faking physical or psychological ailments for the sole purpose of being admitted to the hospital. A psychiatric consult nurse sees about one or two Mà ¼nchausen cases a month (Interview with John Hauber, RN). Out of the entire United States population, only half to two percent of people have the disorder (med icinenet.com), but the number is probably higher than that because the statistic shown only representsRead MoreEssay on Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Sick Kid or Sick Parent?(4)1262 Words   |  6 PagesMunchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Sick Kid or Sick Parent?(4) In relating the details of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP), the initial reaction is usually shock, followed quickly by fascination. The reason for the latter is that the medical community has yet to make up their minds about what exactly MSBP is. The debate: psychiatric disorder v. child abuse. Essentially the arguments for both create a divide between the brain and behavior, though not relating the two. Munchausen Syndrome isRead MoreHistory Of Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy2014 Words   |  9 PagesHistory of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy The term Munchausen Syndrome by proxy was named in 1951 by Asher after a well-known German Baron story teller (Campbell V, McDougall, Justice G., 2015). Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy was defined as an acute illness which is supported by dramatic and plausible history by Asher (Campbell V, McDougall, Justice G., 2015). Asher characterized Munchausen Syndrome’s condition as an intense desire to deceive people as much as they can in order to be the center of attentionRead MoreA Brief Note On The Medical Child Abuse1929 Words   |  8 Pages Munchhausen by Proxy Medical child abuse Denise Eversole Lord Fairfax Community College Abstract Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome (MBPS) is a disorder of which should bring awareness to the medical field. It is not well understood and brings a lot of controversy. This disorder is when a parent, usually the mother, who purposely causes illness to her child rather physically or emotionally. The disorder was named after Baron von Munchausen, from the 18th century who gainedRead MoreMunchausen Syndrome : A Mental Illness Essay1470 Words   |  6 Pages Munchausen syndrome, also referred to as factitious disorder, is a mental condition in which sufferers cause or pretend to have physical or psychological symptoms that are not actually occurring. Munchausen syndrome is considered to be a mental illness because it is associated with severe emotional difficulties that are present with the illness. Due to the fact that there are no reliable statistics regarding the number of people in the United States who suffer from Munchausen syndrome, it is consideredRead MoreI.Primary Diagnosis—Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy. I Propose1596 Words   |  7 PagesI. Primary Diagnosis—Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy I propose Donna Roberts be diagnosed with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSP). The criteria for MSP, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-5), include: falsification of â€Å"psychological or physical signs or symptoms or causing injury or disease in another person with the intention to deceive, presenting another person to others as sick, injured, or having problems functioning, and continuation of deception evenRead MoreWhy The Criminal Justice System Works Will Only Make Me A Better Victim Advocate2394 Words   |  10 Pagesbehaviors such as abuse are directly related to events in a person’s life, these memories will manifest into behaviors. Verbal abuse is one of the easiest and common forms of abuse that stem from the environment. Whether a person consciously remembers these abuses is not always significant but it has a large impact on the behaviors of a person. I have executed an assignment on verbal abuse, and what I have learned is that memory can be tricky. A victim may not always want to recall the abuse and thus recallsRead MoreChild Maltreatment And Child Abuse Essay1878 Words   |  8 Pages Child maltreatment or child abuse is defined as any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent of caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse, or exploitations; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk or serious harm (Department of Health and Human Services, 2006). The definition of child abuse and neglect varies depending on the state and it is based on standards set by federal law. This review will focus on how big this issueRead MoreMunchhausen s Syndrome By Proxy2002 Words   |  9 PagesMunchhausen’s Syndrome by Proxy Six year old Eric is continuously brought to a local clinic by his mother Monica for treatment of abdominal cramps or according to the mother, appendicitis. Eric is the only son and lives with his mother. With each appointment, Eric symptoms become more progressive, resulting in his hospitalization. As his length of stay increases, Eric’s doctor, Dr. Spencer begins to suspect that something is wrong and suspects Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, however, none of the