[A case of munchausen syndrome by proxy in the context of folie a famille].

This report discusses the case of a six-year-old, sexually abused boy who, when admitted to the hospital at the age of 10, claimed to have been repeatedly sexually harassed by several different people. His family's frequent changes in hospitals, negative perceptions of and accusations against medical staff, and improper methods of responding to harassment led clinicians to a diagnosis of Munchausen by proxy syndrome. In addition, both parents believed the abuse story, suggesting a potential diagnosis of shared psychotic disorder. In the literature, Munchausen by proxy has rarely been reported with symptoms of sexual abuse. The psychotic symptoms were shared by the family, complicating the case. This report emphasizes that psychodynamic evaluations of Munchausen by proxy and shared psychotic disorder may be helpful in understanding underlying factors. PMID: 24310095 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Turkish Journal of Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Turk Psikiyatri Derg Source Type: research