Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"But Spears was the real cause of Garnett's illnesses, authorities say.
Spears, 26, who lives in New York City's northern suburbs, was charged Tuesday in the death of her 5-year-old son, accused of poisoning him in January with an overdose of sodium while he was in a hospital being treated for seizures.
Investigators think Spears has Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a rare mental illness that often involves a mother's causing or inventing health symptoms so that her child gets medical care."
Spears is being watched around the clock by a female CO stationed directly outside her cell, located in a mental health unit.
Prosecutors think she may have Munchausen by proxy, a rare disorder where a parent sickens a child to gain attention, but no psychological evaluation has been performed.
In my work in pediatric health care I have seen dozens of these cases (only one resulted in a child's death and the mother was ultimately found not guilty). It is so sad as the Moms (almost always Moms) are seeking to fulfill something for themselves as they fabricate symptoms in their children to receive secondary gain. Often these are very isolated young mothers who enjoy their time in the hospital surrounded by supportive, friendly healthcare staff. At our hospital, we have had extensive education about identifying the risk factors, maintaining personal barriers and reporting suspicions.
In my work in pediatric health care I have seen dozens of these cases (only one resulted in a child's death and the mother was ultimately found not guilty). It is so sad as the Moms (almost always Moms) are seeking to fulfill something for themselves as they fabricate symptoms in their children to receive secondary gain. Often these are very isolated young mothers who enjoy their time in the hospital surrounded by supportive, friendly healthcare staff. At our hospital, we have had extensive education about identifying the risk factors, maintaining personal barriers and reporting suspicions.
I'd be interested to hear what that has changed for the staff. Have they successfully routed anyone into treatment yet? Any disasters averted? Is it lowering the number of unneeded medical visits for the kids?
In my business (mental health) we get our share of families whose only goal is to get their kids some sort of diagnosis when there's nothing much wrong. Sometimes the goal is just to up the household income with an SSI check, but so many just seem to need a crisis to address -- as you say, lonely & isolated moms for the most part. The more services you provide, the more they refuse delivery on it because they need that kid to have a problem.
I'd be interested to hear what that has changed for the staff. Have they successfully routed anyone into treatment yet? Any disasters averted? Is it lowering the number of unneeded medical visits for the kids?
In my business (mental health) we get our share of families whose only goal is to get their kids some sort of diagnosis when there's nothing much wrong. Sometimes the goal is just to up the household income with an SSI check, but so many just seem to need a crisis to address -- as you say, lonely & isolated moms for the most part. The more services you provide, the more they refuse delivery on it because they need that kid to have a problem.
The staff feels more informed and less judged for reporting suspicions. Years ago, the nurses would often have suspicions about a parent long before the physicians (especially the consulting specialists who rotate on and off service) would be willing to address Munchausen's by Proxy as a diagnosis. Now the staff feels much more empowered to say if something doesn't "feel right". Social Work and Psych are brought in early and all the team members communicate clinical and interpersonal activity so the parent and child can get help as quickly as possible - real help, not more of a diagnostic work up, interventions or drugs for a problem that the child doesn't even have.
Social media has added even more layers to this problem as often moms have reached out to on-line support groups, facebook groups... for more reinforcement that their child has some horrible or difficult to diagnose medical problem.
It is a sad problem, but even when it doesn't result in direct harm to the child, it is a form of emotional abuse.
Social media and fakebook is NEVER an answer for psychological help. Never.
Perhaps the fact that ins. companies refuse to help parents with talk therapy for their kids should be addressed. Adam Lanza not having anyone to talk to, was a major contributing event to needless deaths.
Parents must reach out to a board CERTIFIED psychiatrist. NOT fakebook. turn off the reality trash tv info when a serious issue exists, please.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
