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It’s a mother. And the world this year has been a doozy.

COVID-19 has been named, but the Flu is a virus that never can go away, even with containment.

But will a vaccine or isolating ourselves really help us? TBD.

Munchausen by Proxy is a serious silent killer that mostly goes undetected by health professionals, social circles, and communities worldwide.

It is basically the thing that can go unrecognized for a lifetime.

University of Michigan Health (uofmhealth.org) defines it as follows:

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) is a mental health problem in which a caregiver makes up or causes an illness or injury in a person under his or her care, such as a child, an elderly adult, or a person who has a disability. Because vulnerable people are the victims, MSBP is a form of child abuse or elder abuse.

MedicalNewsToday.com defines it as follows, looks like they’ve renamed it recently:

Factitious disorder imposed on another, perhaps better known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, is a form of abuse in which a person fabricates illness for a dependent and puts them through unnecessary medical treatment. … The correct name for MSBP is now factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA).

You may ask why a mother would purposely make her child sick?

NewportAcademy.com defines it as this:

Parents are biologically hardwired to protect their children from harm. That’s why Munchausen by proxy syndrome is such a chilling disease. Parents with this disorder create symptoms of illness in their children in order to get attention. As a result, they do real harm to their children in order to fabricate symptoms.

You need to know the warning signs, which is tough as our medical systems are not equally connected from practice to practice

WebMed.com says it is identifiable with the following:

  • Dramatic but inconsistent medical history.
  • Unclear symptoms that are not controllable and that become more severe or change once treatment has begun.
  • Predictable relapses following improvement in the condition.

Issue is it is hard to holistically understand that you are going through it as a child, which makes it hard to identify and get help for child and the mother.

It is a form of child abuse that goes undetected mainly due to the fact that the mother tells herself and others that she cares so much about the child, when really she is poisoning them.

She gets a sense of attention from the medical community, and is rewarded by the relationship with her doctor. She gets attention and sympathy from others because her child is sick. So the syndrome or disease is reinforced.

It is a hard thing to accept as a victim of this disease as you want to believe that your mother truly has your best interest in mind, when she doesn’t.

Do you know someone that has been affected by this syndrome? How have you coped? I’d love to hear your comments below! Stay safe, and stay well.