Medical Child Abuse: Clinicians as Healers, Abusers, and Expert Witnesses

Authors

Sabihul Alam, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Hannah Snyder, Child and Adolescent Protection Center, Children's National Hospital, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
Adrianne R. Artis, Child and Adolescent Protection Center, Children's National Hospital, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
Tanya Hinds, Child and Adolescent Protection Center, Children's National Hospital, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA. Electronic address: thinds@childrensnational.org.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

6-1-2025

Journal

Pediatric clinics of North America

Volume

72

Issue

3

DOI

10.1016/j.pcl.2024.12.001

Keywords

Factitious disorders; Medical child abuse; Medical complexity; Munchausen syndrome by proxy

Abstract

Medical child abuse (MCA) occurs when a caregiver falsifies signs and symptoms resulting in a child receiving unnecessary and harmful or potentially harmful medical care. Like other conditions, MCA can be diagnosed using traditional diagnostic methods. MCA carries significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Collaboration between clinicians, and when necessary, between clinicians and Child Protective Services increases the likelihood of diagnosis and successful management.

APA Citation

Alam, Sabihul; Snyder, Hannah; Artis, Adrianne R.; and Hinds, Tanya, "Medical Child Abuse: Clinicians as Healers, Abusers, and Expert Witnesses" (2025). GW Authored Works. Paper 7502.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/7502

Department

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences