This book covers Munchausen and Munchausen by Proxy (MBP) though the terms have recently changed. The 2013 DSM-V—the update to the American Psychiatric Association's (APA) diagnostic and classification tool—has classified both Munchausen and MBP as "Factitious Systematic Abuse." While thought to have occurred primarily with children and their caregivers, recent research shows a more widespread problem: such medical abuse to spouses, the disabled, the elderly—even pets. Many involve repeat and long-term instances of hospital and medical fraud. This book covers the syndrome itself, interviewing and investigative aspects, victimology, as well indicators in the event of homicide and death.

Thomas A. Roesler, MD, FAAP and Carole Jenny, MD, MBA, FAAP make the case that the term Munchausen syndrome by proxy should be retired permanently and replaced with a commonsense appreciation that children can be abused by their parents in the medical environment. Physicians who find themselves providing unnecessary and harmful medical care can see the abuse for what it is, another way parents can harm children. the book offers the first detailed and comprehensive description of treatment for this form of child maltreatment.

Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome (MBPS), a form of child abuse in which a caretaker--usually a mother--fabricates and/or induces illness in a child, is one of the least understood forms of child abuse and mental illness. Examining the current knowledge about the manifestations and consequences of this perplexing behavior, Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome assists all professionals working with chronically ill children in identifying and intervening with this bizarre and often deadly form of abuse. Drawing from their firsthand experience with the complexities of such cases, the editors and contributors address critical issues of not only identification and assessment but also longterm psychotherapy. Therapy with the mother/perpetrator has traditionally been markedly unsuccessful, but this book provides a much-needed framework for the successful treatment of acknowledged perpetrators. Emphasizing the important role of efficient multidisciplinary cooperation in handling MBPS cases, Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome also features perspectives from experts in the fields of medicine, child protection, education, social work, hospital administration, and law. Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome demystifies the mother/perpetrator′s deception and gives professionals the knowledge to save children from induced life-threatening illnesses and consequent medical procedures. Professionals, academics, researchers, and students in a variety of fields, including clinical/counseling psychology, social work, nursing/health sciences, criminal justice, and law, will need the information presented in this book to help stop this form of abuse.

Most of us can recall a time when we pretended to be sick to reap the benefits that go along with illness. By playing sick, we gained sympathy, care, and attention, and were excused from our responsibilities. Though doing so on occasion is considered normal, there are those who carry their deceptions to the extreme. In this book, Dr. Marc Feldman describes people’s strange motivations to fabricate or induce illness or injury to satisfy deep emotional needs. Doctors, family members, and friends are lured into a costly, frustrating, and potentially deadly web of deceit. From the mother who shaves her child’s head and tells her community he has cancer, to the co-worker who suffers from a string of incomprehensible "tragedies," to the false epilepsy victim who monopolizes her online support group, "disease forgery" is ever-present in the media and in many people’s lives. In Dying to be Ill: True Stories of Medical Deception, Dr. Feldman, with the assistance of Gregory Yates, has chronicled this fascinating world as well as the paths to healing. With insight developed from 25 years of hands-on experience, Dying to be Ill is sure to stand as a classic in the field.

The aim of this book is to help all professionals who work with children to recognise, to understand and, if possible, to prevent 'Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy' abuse. This headline title encompasses many different situations in which children are presented as 'sick' but where the 'illness' has arisen as a result of the parent's actions in producing a factitious illness either directly (induced illness) or by telling a story of symptoms which lead health professionals to believe the child has an illness. A practical staged approach to this problem is described. This book is a practical guide written by professionals with current experience in this field. It covers all aspects of this form of abuse from mild to life threatening presentations and is structured around case scenarios. It should be of interest to paediatricians both hospital based and community, child mental health professionals, nurses and health visitors, social workers and legal experts.

This book offers a comprehensive, detailed examination of MBPS. Written by leading authorities, it covers all known clinical, medical, psychological, social and legal aspects of the disorder, including detection, dynamics, treatment, and clinical management. Based on their own experiences evaluating and treating these patients, the authors present an innovative theory of the disorder as a form of imposturing. Detailed psychological test data on a group of MBPS mothers are presented for the first time to enhance our understanding of the cognitive and psychological makeup of parents who fabricate illness in their children. The text also contains a thoughtful discussion of the larger social context of women in our society and in our medical institutions--a discussion crucial to our understanding of why MBPS is predominantly a disorder of women.

A dark, shocking, bestselling thriller debut about a mother and daughter—and the lengths to which a daughter will go to find independence. “Nobody wants to hear the truth from a liar.” For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair, and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with her. Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar. After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes. Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she’s forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score. Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling… And she’s waited such a long time for her mother to come home.

Her grandson was literally on the brink of death's door. From as early as one month old, he was gravely ill with one illness after another. By the time he was three years old, he had been hospitalized more times than she could count. He would get better and then suddenly relapse with no reasonable explanation. When her granddaughter was born, she too started having alarming health problems. She had known that her daughter-in-law seemed to exaggerate but never could she have imagined this. The children's mother was so cunning and crafty in her manipulative deception that she fooled dozens of medical professionals along the way. After three years of her grandson being constantly sick with countless hospitalizations, this grandmother was faced with the horrifying realization; that her grandchildren were sick because their mother was making them sick. Then the real fight began. Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy is one of the cruelest forms of child abuse imaginable. It is very difficult to prove and even harder to prosecute. This story chronicles a woman's journey as she discovers that her two grandchildren are victims of this abuse that most people have never even heard of. Her faith in God kept her going as she turned their tragedies and trials into triumph. Follow her journey of faith as she fights to rescue, protect, and bring healing to her grandchildren's broken spirits and shattered little souls.

In the classic edition of this outstanding book, originally published in 2004, Dr. Marc Feldman explores the bizarre cases of real patients who feign or even self-induce illness. Playing Sick? chronicles the devastating impact of illness hoaxes, including factitious disorders, Munchausen syndrome, Munchausen by proxy, and malingering. Based on years of research and clinical practice, Playing Sick? provides the clues that can help professionals, family members, friends, and patients themselves to recognize these diagnoses, avoid invasive procedures, and understand elusive motives. Dr. Feldman offers practical advice to get emotionally ill patients the help they need. This classic edition is essential reading for physicians, social workers, and anyone interested in why and how individuals fabricate illness.