Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: Munchausen by proxy: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Forensic Medicine · Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: Munchausen by proxy

Sample item

A mother repeatedly brings her 4-year-old to hospital with unexplained seizures and vomiting. Symptoms occur only when she is alone with the child, tests show no organic cause, and she is attentive and unusually friendly with staff. What is the likely explanation?

AFactitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen syndrome by proxy)BIllness anxiety disorder in the motherCConversion disorder in the childDSomatic symptom disorder in the mother

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Factitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen syndrome by proxy)

In factitious disorder imposed on another, a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in the child to gain attention in the sick role. Features include unexplained recurrent illness, symptoms only in the caregiver's presence and no organic cause. It is a form of child abuse.

Option by option

A. Factitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen syndrome by proxy) (correct)
Correct. Induced illness in a child with symptoms present only with the caregiver is Munchausen by proxy.
B. Illness anxiety disorder in the mother
Illness anxiety is fear of having a disease oneself.
C. Conversion disorder in the child
Conversion disorder is the child's own unconscious symptom, not induced by a parent.
D. Somatic symptom disorder in the mother
Somatic symptom disorder concerns the patient's own distressing symptoms.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Factitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen syndrome by proxy). In factitious disorder imposed on another, a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in the child to gain attention in the sick role.

Why is "Illness anxiety disorder in the mother" not the answer?

Illness anxiety is fear of having a disease oneself.

Why is "Conversion disorder in the child" not the answer?

Conversion disorder is the child's own unconscious symptom, not induced by a parent.

Why is "Somatic symptom disorder in the mother" not the answer?

Somatic symptom disorder concerns the patient's own distressing symptoms.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: Munchausen by proxy in Forensic Medicine. Features include unexplained recurrent illness, symptoms only in the caregiver's presence and no organic cause. It is a form of child abuse.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Sexual offences and forensic psychiatry: Munchausen by proxy?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.