Munchausen by proxy, now more commonly called Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA) in psychiatric terminology, is a mental health disorder in which a caregiver deliberately exaggerates, fabricates, or induces medical symptoms in someone under their care, usually a child, in order to gain attention, sympathy, or a sense of control.
Key Features
Perpetrator: Usually a parent or guardian, often the mother.
Victim: Most often a child, but can be anyone dependent on the caregiver.
Behavior
Falsifying symptoms (e.g., claiming the child has seizures or allergies that aren’t there)