Münchausen syndrome by proxy - two case reports

OBJECTIVE: To draw pediatrician's and healthcare worker's attention to the Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a serious kind of child abuse. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the clinical history and the evolution of two patients, based on a review of these patient's files in the Children's Rights Committee of the Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, for further discussion. The first case reports a 5- year old child that presented difficult-controlling seizures; this case had an excellent prognosis after being examined by several specialists and later on by the Children's Right Committee. The second case reported is a 5-month old infant who presented apnea crisis accompanied by cyanosis and seizures. COMMENT: Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a relatively rare clinical entity, that can be difficult to be diagnosed, leading to unnecessary and potentially harmful diagnostic procedures to the child.