Munchausen syndrome by proxy: identification and diagnosis

Abstract

Child abuse claims the lives of three children daily in the United States; however, one form of child abuse frequently goes undiagnosed-the true incidence is not known. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) is a hidden and deceitful abuse whereby a caretaker of a child, usually the mother, fabricates information concerning the child's health or intentionally makes the child ill for personal attention and psychologic gain. Because health care professionals are the child's first line of defense against MSBP, they must know all about the disorder to be able to identify MSBP and protect children from disability or death.