Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP) Research Paper

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP) - Research Paper Example ddition ‘by proxy’ means ‘through a substitute’ denoting that it is a parent/ adult/ guardian caretaker who is inflicting symptoms in a child and not on themselves. It is a form of child abuse, and a mental disorder that warrants speedy treatment due to its deadliness. Research indicates a 6-10% mortality rate amongst MSbp victims, thus making it perhaps the most lethal form of abuse (Eminson & Postlethwaite, 2000). Munchausen by proxy differs from the Munchausen syndrome in that whereas in Munchausen by proxy, symptoms are deliberately induced in another separate individual, Munchausen syndrome on the other hand occurs when one pretends to be sick or injured on purpose. They hurt themselves, make up symptoms, push for risky operations or try to rig laboratory reports in order to gain attention. In Munchausen by proxy, the caretaker can deliberately harm the child for example by poisoning, medication, falsifying fever, withholding food, suffocation, infections, physical injury, manipulating laboratory results to indicate serious illness in order to gain attention of the medical practitioners and perpetuate a medical relationship. It is not done to achieve a concrete benefit such as financial gain. Munchausen syndromes belong to a group of conditions called factitious disorders, of which they are the most severe and chronic. Factitious disorders are either made up in another person or inflicted on self and can either be psychological or physical (Schreier & Libow, 1993). In approximately 85% of all cases of MSbp, the mother is often the culprit responsible for inflicting the illness or symptoms. However, it also possible but rare to have cases of MSbp induced by non-relatives for instance, medical professionals for a hospitalized patient, for other reasons. Most of the cases involve pre-scholars with a roughly equal number of girl and boy victims though there have been reports of Munchausen by proxy victims in children up to 16 years old. Experts believe