Clinics in Mother and Child Health

Abstract

Pitfalls in the Recognition and Diagnosis of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

Tsunehiko Kurokami, Yoshiyuki Tachibana, Motoko Kogure and Makiko Okuyama

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a type of child abuse in which the perpetrator intentionally causes illness in an offspring. It remains a challenge to determine the actual medical course in MSBP. Here, we report two cases of MSBP. The pediatric patients were diagnosed with chronic organic diseases at other hospitals. Their symptoms persisted and were eventually referred to our hospital. The patients were not considered as MSBP at the time of admission. However, a series of evaluation by an interdisciplinary team led to the detection of the incompatibilities of the medical courses in the earlier period with the patients’ condition. The patients were diagnosed with MSBP. Careful evaluation of patient’s history is important in the diagnosis of MSBP