Munchausen Syndrome

Munchausen by Internet: Current Research and Future Directions|Background: The Internet has revolutionized the health world, enabling self-diagnosis and online support to take place irrespective of time or location. Alongside the positive aspects for an individuals health from making use of the Internet, debate has intensified on how the increasing use of Web technology might have a negative impact on patients, caregivers, and practitioners. One such negative health-related behavior is Munchausen by Int

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a psychiatric condition and form of child abuse in which a caregiver, usually a mother, induces illness in a child to gain attention for herself. Because children that are abused by a MSBP perpetrator are likely to be hospitalized multiple times, it is important for the nurse to know warning signs and symptoms of MSBP. Of particular interest is the role of the child's parent that is not involved in the abuse, usually the father. This article presents a review of literature on MSBP, focusing on the role of the nonperpetrating fathers.

A young woman hospitalized herself for a picture resembling Stockholm syndrome (becoming a willing captive in a cult, sympathetic to the leader). After a short period of time, it became clear that she had used a false identity and

Clinical studies have shown that children of parents with mental health problems are most likely to develop psychiatric problems themselves when their parents have a Personality Disorder characterized by hostility. The Personality Disorders that appear most associated with hostility, with the potential to affect children, are Borderline Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The question addressed in this study is whether the risk to childrens menta

What went wrong?Southalls problems date back to the mid-1980s when, as a specialist in babies breathing problems at the Royal Brompton in London, he couldnt fathom why some babies would stop breathing for no apparent reason. With the cooperation of police and social services, he set up a system of covert video surveillance, which proved that some parents were deliberately suffocating their children. He was hailed by the profession for his pioneering papers, but he became the target of a vitriolic

A tired 32-year-old woman complaining of tiredness was referred for work-up of a possible immune deficiency. She had a history of recurrent infections since birth, which usually responded to antibiotics within a few days. Her mother, a nurse, had reported that early charts had disappeared. Munchausen's by proxy was suspected for years. Careful anamnesis indicated possible recurrent fever. Serum IgD levels were high, which led us to suspect Hyper IgD Syndrome. Sequencing of the mevalonate kinase gene revealed 2 mutations, leading to amino acid substitutions: one already described (V3771) and R40W: never reported before. Mevalonate kinase activity was very low in the patient's peripheral blood cells. We used the "Poly Phen" prediction program successfully. Our experiments confirmed the diagnosis of mevalonate kinase deficiency. We used steroids to abort recurrent crises.

The effective treatment for patients with resistant hyperthyroidism is difficult.|In this case report with 4-year follow-up data, we present 2 unusual cases of hyperthyroidism that were unresponsive to almost all antithyroid treatments including total thyroidectomy, but both were controlled with octreotide.|Cases 1 and 2 were both middle-aged women. They presented thyrotoxicosis with a low serum concentration of TSH and thyroidal radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU). The underlying causes, such as thyroiditis, metastatic thyroid cancer and struma ovarii were explored. Iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, particularly factitious hyperthyroidism was highly suspected, but there was no direct evidence to establish these diagnoses. In spite of good compliance, their thyrotoxicosis could not be controlled with large doses of PTU or MMI. -blocker, methylprednisolone, radio-iodine therapy and even thyroidectomy were all attempted and failed. Short-acting octreotide was first administered to case 1

This review is designed to aid general pediatricians as they assess cases of possible child maltreatment. The authors have selected salient articles that inform the daily practice of any professional involved in assessing child abuse.|The incidence of child abuse continues to decline in the United States, although a large number of children still suffer from abuse and neglect, and many are subject to more than one type of maltreatment. Clinicians are encouraged to be vigilant about the subtle indicators of physical abuse, with many authors adding to our understanding about how children present after inflicted abdominal or skeletal trauma. Clinicians are also cautioned to watch for signs of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, which may be elusive and difficult to discern.|The field of child abuse pediatrics is still young, with the first board certification in 2009. The volume of research in the field is exploding and there is a greater level of awareness and data collection occurring

Self injury is the intentional and direct injury to self that include bite, burn, ulceration and head banging. These injuries are rarely fatal and are usually not suicidal in nature. This behavior is common among adolescents, psychiatric patients and in females. Bipolar disorder, drug abuse and metabolic syndromes like LeschNyhan and Munchausen's syndrome are often associated with this disorder. Repetitive self mutilation is termed the Van Gogh syndrome after the famous painter who cut off his ear and gave it to a prostitute. We describe two such cases of self mutilation in schizophrenic patients.

We report a patient with numerous abnormal electrocardiograms (ECGs) in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Our patient both simulated and stimulated her arrhythmias with an ECG rhythm generator and intentional caffeine intoxication. To our knowledge, this is the first report of caffeine overdose for arrhythmogenesis.

Beyond Munchausen Syndrome by proxy: identification and treatment of child abuse in a medical setting.

Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Clinical Practice Guidelines: Joint Recommendations of the Pediatric Gastroenterology, H ( NASPGHAN) and the Europ Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Co-Chairs: Yvan Vandenplas renz An rs, a of Ped sin, M rsity,

NGC is the National Guideline Clearinghouse.