Munchausen by Proxy
When a parent, usually the mother, consciously attempts to make her child sick, while at the same time seeking medical attention for the child, this is known as a case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. These sad cases often make the news, as deliberating harming one’s child is a form of child abuse. Yet in this syndrome the mother seems to be very caring. So caring, in fact, that she may fool medical authorities, often for years. The mother typically makes her own child sick so she can bask in the attention that the intervening medical attention provides her. She … Continue reading