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Fictitious epilepsy.

R Meadow

    Lancet (London, England)
    |July 7, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Factitious seizures, often induced by a mother, led to unnecessary medical interventions for children and adults. This behavior may persist into adulthood and, in severe cases, cause brain damage or death, with links to sudden infant death syndrome.

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    Area of Science:

    • Child Psychology
    • Neurology
    • Pediatric Medicine

    Background:

    • Factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA) involves fabricating or inducing illness in another person.
    • This can lead to significant medical harm and psychological distress for the victim.
    • The condition is often perpetrated by a caregiver, frequently the mother.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the presentation and consequences of factitious seizures in pediatric patients.
    • To highlight the diagnostic challenges and iatrogenic harm associated with FDIA.
    • To explore the long-term implications and potential mortality risks of factitious seizures.

    Main Methods:

    • Retrospective case review of 32 children and 4 adults diagnosed with factitious seizures.

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  • Detailed clinical investigation, including neurological examinations and diagnostic tests.
  • Longitudinal follow-up to assess the persistence of illness behavior.

    • Main Results:

    • Patients underwent extensive investigations and treatments for epilepsy due to fabricated or induced seizures.
    • Unnecessary hospital admissions and restrictions in education and activities were common.
    • Follow-up indicated a risk of persistent abnormal illness behavior into adulthood.
    • A subset of young children experienced anoxic episodes induced by parents, leading to brain damage and death.
    • Emerging evidence suggests an association with sudden unexplained death in infancy (cot death).

    Conclusions:

    • Factitious seizures represent a form of child abuse with severe consequences.
    • Early identification and intervention are crucial to prevent long-term harm and mortality.
    • The association with sudden infant death syndrome warrants further investigation.