Medical child abuse: Medical history and red flags in French adolescents

Medical child abuse (MCA; or Munchausen syndrome by proxy) is a severe form of adult and medical maltreatment of children. Currently, few data on MCA in adolescents exist.

To describe the clinical characteristics and medical history of children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years with suspected or confirmed MCA in the pediatric hospital setting.

We included patients aged 10 to 18 years who were seen in five tertiary care hospitals in the Paris area and identified by physician recall such as suspected MCA between 2015 and 2021.

We included 29 adolescents; the mean (SD) age was 12.9 (10.8-15.0) years at suspected diagnosis. Medical wandering was common, with a mean of 23 (12.8-33.2) alleged symptoms and 33 (9.2-56.8) specialized consultations in a mean of six different hospitals. The mean number of emergency visits was 11.8 (0-25.9) and radiologic exams 24.3 (5-43.6). Overall, 62 % (18/29) of the adolescents had an underlying organic pathology. The impact of MCA on quality of life was major, with a high rate of school dropout (96 %). The mean delay to the suspected diagnosis was 5.8 (2.6-9) years, and even when recognized, it was rarely the subject of a social or judiciary report (only 42 % of adolescents). In total, 50 % of the adolescents subsequently exhibited Munchausen syndrome.

Adolescent MCA is poorly known among the medical profession. Increasing awareness, education and knowledge of risk factors could contribute to better care.