Killing with Concern: An Account of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in Sickened by Julie Gregor

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“Help, my daughter has stopped breathing!” she cried out entering the emergency room. In Sickened the autobiography written by Julie Gregory shares her abusive childhood to enlighten her readers about Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. With all the attention to protect children from abuse, how can child abuse not be recognized?
Child abuse is usually recognized by a pattern of physical injuries or outward appearance of neglect. From RelayHealth, Munchausen Syndrome by proxy is a mental disorder, causing illness in others, usually children, to get sympathy and attention for the abuser. With the mental disorder of MSBP documented, the behaviors of the abuser and victims should be easy to identify, but it is not. Any parent/guardian entering the emergency room insisting on immediate care for their child would be considered a suspect. According to RelayHealth, dishonesty is a key part of the disorder, and of the abusers: 90% are the mothers. Imagine a mother who is able to manipulate an experienced doctor against his better judgment to perform unnecessary treatments and tests; now th...

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