Munchausen’s: Criminal Implications

Munchausen’s Syndrome is considered a form of medical child abuse in terms of physical abuse and medical neglect.  This type of abuse is considered to be pre-meditated.  Medical providers are considered a mandatory reporting entity, but many do not recognize the syndrome or get “sucked into” the sympathy for the caregiver.  “Even when fabricated illness [&hellip Read More...

Munchausen’s: The Offender

What the Caregiver Might Do to Mimic Illness in the Child: Adding chemicals to the child’s urine or stool Withhold food so the child looks like they are anorexic Make up lab results to be abnormal Give the child drugs to make the child throw up or have diarrhea and abdominal pain Infect an intravenous [&hellip Read More...

Munchausen’s: The Victim

According to the literature, boys and girls are equally victimized in Munchausen’s Syndrome, and 77% to 90% of the time, the perpetrator is the child’s biological mother.  In addition, 29% of perpetrators have symptoms of Munchausen Syndrome themselves. What the Victim Might Look Like: Failure to thrive due to nutritional neglect Child has a history [&hellip Read More...

Munchausen’s: Definition

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy was first described in 1951 by a British physician, but it was not until 1977 that the condition was labeled “Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy” by pediatrician Roy Meadow.  The syndrome was defined as, “a condition in which a parent or other caretaker persistently fabricates symptoms on behalf of another, causing that [&hellip Read More...

Cluster C: Avoidant and Obsessive Compulsive

Avoidant Personality Disorder The symptoms of avoidant personality disorder are similar to social phobia except that in the personality disorder the avoidance is present in all social situations. Social phobia symptoms are usually more specific such as speaking or eating in public. Attorneys need to be aware when communicating with individuals who have avoidant personality [&hellip Read More...