Fits, faints, or fatal fantasy? Fabricated seizures and child abuse

Pathological demand avoidance syndrome: a necessary distinction within the pervasive developmental disorders

“…3 Pathological demand avoidance syndrome was chosen (admittedly under pressure from an impending paediatric lecture), and now has wide recognition as a clinically useful concept. Despite the criticisms that can be made, this name has the major advantage that when doctors, psychologists, and teachers encounter the truly pathological degree of "demand avoidance" that the condition always involves on a long term basis, they are increasingly likely to consider the diagnosis, rather than blame parents or child for "unsocialised" behaviour.…”

“Outlandish factitious illness„ presented as ‘epilepsy‚

“…This is of the parents' creation. Meadow [6] also described 'Fictitious Epilepsy' a specific form of his syndrome and this has been repeatedly reported since in several cultures [7,8]. Very often the factitious nature of the case only comes to light after long periods of failure to control the 'seizures' or improve the general well-being of the child and its family.…”

When the System Works: Rescuing a Child From Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy

“…The mother had requested more medication be given to her son for "seizures," but the nurse had no good clinical justification to do so. Barber and Davis (2002) note that seizure symptoms are commonly used to obtain medication even when clinical evidence is mostly anecdotal. Later that evening, the nurse found remnants of pills in the bathroom sink.…”