Münchausen syndrome by proxy: a literary review and a reminder for every health care professional

Münchhausen syndrome by proxy (MBPS), also commonly referred to as Medical Child Abuse (MCA), and now officially classified in the DSM-5-TR as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIOA), is a severe condition that involves a caregiver who fabricates or induces signs and symptoms of physical, psychiatric, or developmental disorders in a child or other dependent victim. The primary motivation is the achievement of psychological gain—such as attention and sympathy—rather than obvious external benefits. Unfortunately this is frequently observed by health teams in clinics, hospital wards and emergency rooms and undoubtedly, these conditions generate high costs and unnecessary procedures in health care facilities and sometimes can evolve into the death of the child, depending on the gravity of the illness or the abuse. It is important for both physical and mental health of the children to diagnose as soon as possible this disorder and that’s why our team decided to write this review, in order to provide a complete and updated manuscript about such often misdiagnosed pathology so dangerous for children.