My mom might be hurting my nephew?

Question

So here's the deal. My mom has a history of hurting herself / making herself sick for attention. Now she's out in California with my sister who is in the navy to "help" with the baby. The baby is now very ill and the doctors can't find anything wrong with him. He's losing weight, vomiting, and has severe diarrhea. There is no concrete proof that she is hurting him but it is very convenient that suddenly she is well and the baby is not. It's just a suspicion but I dont know what to ask the doctors to test him for? Any ideas? Who should my sister talk to about this? What happens if we accuse mom and it turns out that the baby really is genuinely ill? Please help!

Answer 1

This condition is called munchausens by proxy...and is a serious mental illness....you need to contact the doctor that is seeing to the case re: the baby, and fill him in on some "family history", also let your sister know what is going on, and child services.........

In the mean time here is some information about it for you....

Munchausen syndrome is a form of psychological disorder, named after the fictional representation of the German baron, Karl von Münchhausen, and his affinity for telling tall tales. It is described as a factitious disorder in which sufferers feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma despite varying degrees of personal risk, in order to draw attention or sympathy to themselves. The term has also been used to refer to medical professionals who purposely cause inflicted injury or discomfort to a patient so they are able to later treat or heal the patient and receive attention or compliments from co-workers; commonly referred to in modern parlance as "playing god".

The current DSM (DSM-IV-TR: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - 4th edition - Text Revision) calls this disorder "Factitious Disorder by Proxy".

Munchausen syndrome
In Munchausen syndrome, the sufferer feigns, exaggerates, or creates symptoms of illnesses in himself or herself in order to gain investigation, treatment, attention, sympathy, and comfort from medical personnel. The role of "patient" is a familiar and comforting one, and it fills a psychological need in people with Munchausen's.

There is some controversy on the exact causes of the syndrome, but an increased occurrence has been reported[citation needed] in healthcare professionals and close family members of people with a chronic illness such as manic depression.

Individuals with the Munchausen pattern of behaviour may be admitted to many hospitals under many medical teams and amass costs sufficient to provide care for hundreds of other people.


Origin of the name
The name derives from one Baron Munchhausen (Karl Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Münchhausen, 1720-1797), to whom were ascribed a series of fantastically impossible tales written by Rudolf Raspe.

In 1951, Sir Richard Asher (father of Jane Asher) was the first to describe a pattern of self-harm, where individuals fabricated histories, signs, and symptoms of illness. Remembering Baron von Munchausen, Asher named this condition Munchausen's Syndrome. Originally, this term was used for all factitious disorders. Now, however, there is considered to be a wide range of factitious disorders, and the diagnosis of "Munchausen syndrome" is reserved for the most severe form, where the simulation of disease is the central activity of the sufferer's life.

In 1977, the English pediatrician Roy Meadow, professor of Paediatrics at the University of Leeds, England, described a form of child abuse in which mothers deliberately induced or falsely reported illnesses in their children. He referred to this behaviour as Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. Its formal name since March 2002 is now Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) according to the Royal College Of Paediatrics and Child Health.[1]


Fabricated and Induced Illness (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy)
In FII a caregiver, usually the mother, feigns or induces an illness in another person, usually her or his child, to gain attention and sympathy as the "worried" parent. Although Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSbP) cases with feigned or induced physical illness receive the most attention, it is also possible in parents who emotionally abuse their child, then claim psychiatric and/or genetic problems.

FII is a form of child abuse. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Meadow was called as an expert witness in several murder cases where FII was at issue, some of which resulted in parents being convicted of murdering their children and imprisoned. In addition several children were taken into care. During 2003 a number of high-profile acquittals brought Meadow's ideas into serious disrepute. Some people deny even the existence of FII, despite observations on hospital surveillance cameras which have caught abusers in the act. Around 250 cases resulting in conviction in which Meadow was an expert witness were reviewed, with few changes. Meadow was investigated by the British General Medical Council over one aspect of one case - the statistical likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome occurring twice in a family. The GMC in July 2005 came to a verdict of guilty of "serious professional misconduct" which (judge) Collins J described at appeal as "irrational" and set aside. The case had almost nothing to do with SIDS, since neither prosecution nor defence suggested that the children involved suffered SIDS, and Collins' judgement raises important points of the liability of expert witnesses - his view is that referral to the GMC by the losing side is an unacceptable threat and that only the Court should decide whether its witnesses are seriously defficient and refer them to their professional bodies. The case of Dr Jayne Donegan may also be relevant to this.

There are now more than 2,000 reports of FII in the professional and lay literature, with 10 books devoted to the subject. These reports reaffirm that MSbP is not simply a Western phenomenon; reports have come from developing countries throughout the world.

In 2003, Sickened, an autobiographical account of the Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy abuse Julie Gregory suffered as a child, was published.

In 2003, a documentary film, MAMA/M.A.M.A., which questions the validity of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, arguing that in many cases doctors' overmedication of infants may be the real cause of their infirmity rather than the mother's mental illness, was released. The film contains an interview with Sir Roy Meadow. www.munchausenmovie.com is the official site for the film.


Clues that may indicate Fabricated or Induced Illness
Caution is required. Many of the items below are also indications of a child with organic, but undiagnosed illness. An ethical diagnosis of MSbP must include an evaluation of the child, an evaluation of the parents and of the family dynamics. Diagnoses based only on a review of the child's medical chart are now frequently[citation needed] being rejected in court.

A child who has one or more medical problems that do not respond to treatment or that follow an unusual course that is persistent, puzzling and unexplained.
Physical or laboratory findings that are highly unusual, discrepant with history, or physically or clinically impossible.
A parent who appears to be medically knowledgeable and/or fascinated with medical details and hospital gossip, appears to enjoy the hospital environment, and expresses interest in the details of other patients’ problems.
A highly attentive parent who is reluctant to leave their child’s side and who themselves seem to require constant attention.
A parent who appears to be unusually calm in the face of serious difficulties in their child’s medical course while being highly supportive and encouraging of the physician, or one who is angry, devalues staff, and demands further intervention, more procedures, second opinions, and transfers to other, more sophisticated, facilities.
The suspected parent may work in the health care field themselves or profess interest in a health-related job.
The signs and symptoms of a child’s illness do not occur in the parent’s absence (hospitalization and careful monitoring may be necessary to establish this causal relationship).
A family history of similar or unexplained illness or death in a sibling.
A parent with symptoms similar to their child’s own medical problems or an illness history that itself is puzzling and unusual.
A suspected emotionally distant relationship between parents; the spouse often fails to visit the patient and has little contact with physicians even when the child is hospitalized with serious illness.
A parent who reports dramatic, negative events, such as house fires, burglaries, or car accidents, that affect them and their family while their child is undergoing treatment.
A parent who seems to have an insatiable need for adulation or who makes self-serving efforts at public acknowledgement of their abilities.

Prevalence by gender
It has been noted that MS applies mostly to men whereas FII perpetrators are disproportionately females. One study showed that in over 90% of cases of Munchausen by proxy, it is the mother who is the abuser (Vennemann et al., 2005). In other cases, the MSbP abuser is another female caregiver. Fathers have been the perpetrators in a handful of professional reports. The female preponderance may be attributed to the typical socialization pattern which encourages females to seek the sympathy and assistance of others while males who do so are considered to be "weak". It is not known whether this predilection to seek sympathy also has a gender-based genetic component. Neuropsychological testing of perpetrators has shown either normal results or nonspecific abnormalities.

MSbP may also be attributed to another prevalent socialization pattern, that which places females in the primary caretaking role.

[edit]
Munchausen Syndrome and Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in popular culture
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
In the 1976 movie Sybil, Sybil's mother may have been suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, abusing her daughter frequently. This, however, could also be a case of PTSD, or may also have been from suffering schizophrenia.
The 1999 movie The Sixth Sense had the posthumous solving of a case of MSbP as one of its later subplots.
Also, Takashi Miike's 2003 One Missed Call, an arguably deconstructionist take on the recent wave of Japanese horror movies, has a MSbP case at the heart of its revenging ghost tale.
In the Eminem song "Cleanin' Out My Closet", the rapper names himself as a "victim of Munchausen syndrome," accusing his mother of using him for drug-seeking purposes when he was young.
In an episode of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a woman poisons her granddaughter with mercury to induce symptoms similar to those associated with leukemia and claims she has been suffering from MSbP.
In one of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Pendergast novels, Dance of Death, a character is accused of suffering from an unusual form of MSbP—committing murders in order to garner attention solving them.
First airing October 11, 2005, an episode of FX's Nip/Tuck features a patient suffering with Munchausen syndrome. She cuts herself to mimic the injuries left by the show's infamous face-slasher The Carver (and later actually becomes one of his victims).
An episode of ABC-TV's Grey's Anatomy first airing October 16, 2005, features a patient diagnosed with Munchausen syndrome. She is betrayed taking Rifampin, an antibiotic that turned her urine blue (an error, as the drug should have made her urine turn orange).
An episode of ITV's The Brief first aired on October 21 2005, featured a defendant (a nurse) played by Jennifer Ellison who exhibited the classic symptoms of Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
An episode of The X-Files (The Calusari, 2X21) featured Agent Dana Scully suspecting Munchausen syndrome by proxy in unexplained events surrounding a young child and his family.
An episode of FOX's House, M.D. first aired on December 13, 2005, featured a patient played by Cynthia Nixon who admitted to Munchausen syndrome after being tricked into taking Rifampin, an antibiotic that turned her urine orange, but who was later additionally diagnosed with a bacterial infection.
An episode of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (S07E15), first aired on Tuesday February 7, 2006, featured a woman, played by Rebecca DeMornay, who suffered from Munchausen syndrome.
An episode of NBC's Conviction (S01E03), first aired on Friday March 17, 2006, featured a young girl who committed suicide arguably in part because of her mother's Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy (this is only an inference, as the word "Munchausen" is not used).
An episode of NBC's ER (TV series) first aired on Thusday February 3, 2000, included a subplot in which a mother insists that her son undergo numerous tests and exploratory surgeries, against the advice of the E.R. doctors. The word "Munchausen" is not used, and Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy can only be inferred.
In Every Time I Die song Romeo A Go-go, "munchausen by proxy of a muse" comes up in the opening song of their third album "Hot Damn!", a song about a night in the intensive care unit.
In the episode of JAG "Silent Service", Harm and Mac investigate a series of health problems that occurred in a nuclear submarine which led to the accidental destruction of a ship. It turns out that they were all caused by a corpsman who suffered from Muchausen Syndrome by proxy.

Answer 2

This is such a difficult situation... You have no solid proof. You can't really just ask the doctors to test for small amounts of poison. There are SO many different types of poison... the testing just doesnt work that way. However, It would be interesting to notice if while the baby is in the hospital ( or anytime the baby is away from the grandmother).... he gets better. Is your Mother the only one caring for the baby? Is the baby's Dad around? What does he think? What are the baby's symptoms? Tell the Doctor/s of your fears if you find some evidence. She could be doing something a simple as giving him lots of prune juice (she could mix w/ formula) - the sugars in juices in high quantities could cause these same symptoms in a baby.

Answer 3

Some sort of poisoning probably or any medicinal drugs in his method This is correctly a intellectual illess - referred to as Munchausen's Syndrome through Proxy - more commonly the guardian might do that however I am definite others have escpecially while they've take at the position or responsibilites of the guardian, and so on. Has your mom faked her possess ailments ago - and believed them or brought on signs that didn't come up from any truly sickness? This might be a disgrace however in case you rather believe this can be going down - you must inform any individual. Talk to any individual - even on your mother instantly escpecially if she has a few sort of extreme historical past - and even none - this does occur to men and women who don't have any beyond identified intellectual health problem. Tell them that your mother may be very mentally in poor health and also you desire to ensure she isn't doing some thing to him to rationale those signs - that you do not know or believe that she might however that ever given that it got here into your brain - you must realize. I might simply ask your mother - I might to peer how she reacts - possibly ask her is there some thing that you simply began doing given that you have been there that can be inflicting this - with out instantly accusing her - you'll trace round that it can be anything she has performed, and so on. I rather wish that she did not do that - now not that I wish the child is rather in poor health - it is only a lose lose predicament right here however you must discover out - speak on your mother.

Answer 4

Hi Corrie, This is really a hard one.. If you think your mom is giving something to the baby,and it really is getting the baby sick from this,I would report this to their doctor.I seem something just like this.A mother was giving something to her son to make him very sick.She needed the attention of all the nurses,and doctors that she was such a good mother,and would do anything to get him well.I can't remember what it was she was giving to her son.This is a sickness,and they can't help theirself. The only way for help,is for them to get caught.Lets hope it's before someone gets killed.So Corrie,it's your sister,and you that needs to make a call or not...Lets hope it's the right choice. My heart gos out to you,and your sister,and lets not forget the baby. A Friend Who Cares...

Clowmy

Answer 5

You'll have to take your dad/aunt into confidence and ask them whether your mom did the same when you n your sister were babies. That might help. It looks unlikely she would hurt the baby for attention. Attention deficit females hurt only themselves (like faking sickness or being hysterical) but seldom hurt others and least of all their grand children. But still talking to your dad/aunt might give you insights.

Answer 6

First, I would contact your sis and tell her what the "scoop" is. (Though, she probably is aware of it, and if she doesnt do anything, then its time to step it up).

I would contact "Child Services" and let them "know" of your fears! Its imperative for the child, so that the poor thing is out of Mom's reach! She obviously needs help, and as long as the child is in her hands, it will continue to be sick.

Now, little babies "do" get sick all the time, no matter what, but, I would first get ol Mom investigated if I "knew" she had a condition like that!

I wish you well..

Jesse

Answer 7

your sister has to tell her babies doctor the truth,,, God forbid your mom is hurting that baby,, you all have to think of that baby first,,,but who knows,,,if the doc have done tests and find nothing worng,, then something is wrong have them test the baby for posion or things like that,,

Answer 8

before you do something (accusing for example) please make sure you have a solid eveidence of doing so...why don't you or your sister to take the baby away from your mother just to make sure..and if the baby still ill, then from that point you will have a solid conclusion...

Answer 9

get the doctors to check for small amounts of poison.