The mother of a toddler experiencing stomach pain insists that the child be admitted to find out the cause of the pain. The child has been in the emergency room three other times in the past 6 months for the same complaint. What other information should alert the nurse to investigate the situation further?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Munchausen syndrome by proxy refers to a parent who repeatedly brings a child to a health care facility and reports symptoms of illness when the child is well. A parent might report symptoms such as abdominal pain in a child. Because of these symptoms, the child is submitted to needless diagnostic procedures or therapeutic regimens. The parent usually has some degree of medical or child care knowledge obtained through formal education. Being a single parent, having siblings, and the child verbalizing abdominal pain when the mother is not present are not indications of this syndrome.

The Mother of a Toddler Experiencing Stomach Pain Insists That