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“Munchausen by proxy syndrome”: not only pathological parenting but also problematic doctoring?
Author(s) -
Jureidini Jon N,
Shafer Allan T,
Donald Terence G
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2003.tb05104.x
Subject(s) - munchausen syndrome , proxy (statistics) , child abuse , psychology , health professionals , medical practice , psychiatry , medicine , human factors and ergonomics , clinical psychology , poison control , medical emergency , family medicine , health care , computer science , machine learning , economics , economic growth
Certain social expectations of medicine combine with characteristics of subspecialised technological paediatrics to facilitate the form of child abuse labelled “Munchausen by proxy syndrome”. Examining this form of child abuse highlights possible shortcomings of medical practice. The primary medical tasks of diagnosing and curing illness and of preventing suffering are sometimes overridden by other motivations of which doctors may not be fully aware. More open discussion of what motivates health professionals in their work may improve medical practice and lead to a reduced incidence of Munchausen by proxy syndrome.