Munchausen by Proxy: Identification, Intervention, and Case Management

I bought this book out of necessity when a client of mine had been accused of Munchausens and it's cousin, Malingering Disorder, by Child Protective Services. I had VAGUE ideas about what these conditions were beforehand, but this book made it perfectly clear what Munchausens is and is not. My area of practice has little to nothing to do with Munchausens so I wasn't burning with curiosity to read this book when I purchased it. Like bad medicine, I thought I'd have to just get through it but the writing is so captivating that I struggled to put it down. Although Munchausens is a complicated disorder to understand, it's explained and exemplified in uncomplicated terms with case illustrations that'll have you saying "Ohhh..." out loud. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants or needs to understand Munchausens in all its complexity.

This is the only book written with a "gameplan" for discovery of Munchuasen by Proxy. Lasher and Sheridan have given tremendous thought and definition to the Munchuasen diagnosis. They provide a detailed plan to determine whether or not Munchausen by Proxy has taken place. It is such a difficult disorder to prove, and this outline gives medical personnel, child protective services, and the law enforcement agencies a step-by-step guide in proving/disproving MBP. I think it should be required reading for anyone in the medical field. It's amazing that approximately 45% of medical personnel have never heard of MBP. If healthcare workers are not even aware such a disorder exists, there is minimal chance a perpetrator will ever be caught. We deal with this disorder in our family, and this book has helped us know what to look for and where to begin in our quest to "save" our grandson. I highly recommend this book to all professionals who care about children.

Great book, really delves deep into the psyche of people with this disorder and how it is interlinked with borderline personality disorders and depression. This book also has a excellent diasgnostic survey for clients suspected of this disorder. Certain criteria have to be met and law enforcement notified before a diagnosis can be made, it is a very difficult disorder to diagnosis, but this book sheds some new light.

I was knowledgeable about Munchausen by proxy before I read this book, but it shed a whole new light on the subject for me. It is clearly the definitive reference in the field. It is readable and filled with summaries and charts that facilitate understanding and practical application. It is not to be missed for any professionals involved in the protection of children.

A distressing look into how far will some people go to get attention. Through detailed case studies and analysis, the authors take readers into the lives and minds of people whose obsessive craving for attention compels them to fake illness, sometimes to the point of death.