Factitious Disorder Presenting with Stuttering in Two Adolescents: The Importance of Psychoeducation

Abstract

A factitious disorder (FD) is a diagnostic entity in which patients intentionally act physically or mentally ill without obvious benefits and without being consciously aware of a clear underlying motive. Most pediatric FD cases have been reported as Munchausen syndrome by Proxy; however, pediatric disease symptoms can also be intentionally falsified by child and adolescent patients. To our knowledge, in the medical literature, an FD patient presenting with stuttering has not been previously reported. In this case report, we aimed to discuss the diagnosis and treatment process of FDs in children and adolescents by reporting the cases of two FD patients presenting with stuttering according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition. Both patients improved with psychoeducation and early confrontation.

Early death in Munchausen syndrome: A case report

“…Later, they look for another hospital or health facility for new admissions . For this reason, epidemiological studies and clinical trials to establish therapeutic strategies for MS are difficult to conduct because patients deny suffering from a psychiatric disorder and lack cooperation regarding treatment …”

Severe hypokalemia secondary to abuse of β-adrenergic agonists in a pediatric patient: Case report

“…Munchausen syndrome is characterized by the presence of factitious symptoms repeatedly caused by the subject him-or herself, sometimes with physical selfharm to induce the appearance of these symptoms. This condition generally begins in adulthood and sometimes involves invasive diagnostic procedures and prolonged pharmacological treatment [12][13][14][15] . In the related psychiatric disorder commonly referred to as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, physical or psychological symptoms are imposed on another person (usually on children by parents) with the intention of deception and without any evident intention of benefitting from the abuse; this is termed "factitious disorder imposed on other" 16 .…”