Customer Reviews

Hurting for Love: Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Just thought I would point out, as a corrective to the reviewer who believes the authors have published "nothing" in the "medical or psychiatric literature", that these authors have in fact published quite a bit on the subject in the "medical or psychiatric literature". These reviews "warning" us against the authors strike me as having some kind of agenda. Some examples of the authors' publications: Schreier (1992), "The perversion of mothering: Munchausen syndrome by proxy," Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 56; Schreier & Libow (1993), "Munchausen Syndrome by proxy: Diagnosis and prevalence," American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 63; Schreier & Libow (1994), "Munchausen by proxy syndrome: A modern pediatric challenge," The Journal of Pediatrics, 125; Libow (1994), "Munchausen by Proxy Victims in later life," Symposium conducted at the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association; "Libow & Schreier (1986), "Three forms of factitious illness in children: When is it Munchausen syndrome by proxy?" American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 56.

The authors offer a thoughtful account of this uncommon form of child abuse. Whilst I disagree with some of their conclusions, they go much further than any other publidshed material in making sense of the dynamics of this form of abuse.

THE READER FROM MICHIGAN DOETH PROTEST TOO MUCH! GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN ACTUALLY DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS SYNDROME, WHEN PROBABLY, IN MANY CASES, IT WAS DISMISSED AS SIDS. YES, PARENTS CAN AND DO HURT THEIR CHILDREN IN THIS WAY! I HAVE READ MUCH ON THE SUBJECT. THE PARENTS KNOW HOW TO ACT THE PART OF A LOVING PARENT WHEN AMONGST OTHERS. WE HAVE ONLY TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE ICEBERG - IT IS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE, EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO PROVE. MEANWHILE, THE CHILDREN SUFFER TERRIBLY AND MANY DIE. SO, INSTEAD OF SHOOTING THE MESSENGER (AS DID THE READER FROM MICHIGAN) LET US TRY TO BE AWARE OF THE CHILDREN AMONGST US, AND LET THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY BECOME MORE EDUCATED ABOUT THIS TERRIBLE FORM OF CHILD ABUSE.

It may seem like fiction to those lucky enough not to know a Munchausen. This book described my mother perfectly! I am a child of a Munchausen and I WAS interviewed by the authors when I was living in Utah. They also asked for medical documents and other evidence I provided. Reading the book was a great experience for me because I saw that it was an abuse that had a name. I am 50 years old and just reading the book gave me understanding I really needed. You may not believe it because it didn't happen to you. Trust me. This book is right on!

Hurting for Love reads like a textbook, but if the reader has enough patience they can learn much. Packed with information and loaded with research to back it up, Hurting for Love is required reading for anyone in the medical or legal field.

THE READER FROM MICHIGAN DOETH PROTEST TOO MUCH! GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY CHILDREN ACTUALLY DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS SYNDROME, WHEN PROBABLY, IN MANY CASES, IT WAS DISMISSED AS SIDS. YES, PARENTS CAN AND DO HURT THEIR CHILDREN IN THIS WAY! I HAVE READ MUCH ON THE SUBJECT. THE PARENTS KNOW HOW TO ACT THE PART OF A LOVING PARENT WHEN AMONGST OTHERS. WE HAVE ONLY TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE ICEBERG - IT IS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE, EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO PROVE. MEANWHILE, THE CHILDREN SUFFER TERRIBLY AND MANY DIE. SO, INSTEAD OF SHOOTING THE MESSENGER (AS DID THE READER FROM MICHIGAN) LET US TRY TO BE AWARE OF THE CHILDREN AMONGST US, AND LET THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY BECOME MORE EDUCATED ABOUT THIS TERRIBLE FORM OF CHILD ABUSE.

I agree with the post below - Dr. Schreier's critics must have a hidden agenda. Not only their statement about lack of publications by the co-authors is not true, but they also attempt to discredit Dr. Schreier by saying that he does not belong to AMA. Hardly a sound evidence of a lack of credibility, since less than 30% of all doctors are members of the AMA. Should we then ignore the opinions of over 70% of M.D's?

This has obviously been wriiten by some one with an agenda. The profile he puts forth includes most of the female population. If he is allowed to continue his work God help the children that are truly sick and not easily diagnosed. This man seems to have forgotten that medicine is not an exact science.

After reading what the Reader From Michigan had to say, I decided to do my own research on Dr. Schreier. The Reader From Michigan is correct in stating that this Doctor is not a member of the AMA, and he has NOT published anything in any medical or psychiatric journals that I can find. I work in the medical profession and I can tell you that many dedicated physicians and psychiatrists would like to see Dr. Schreier's medical license revoked. It is well known in the field that he does not interview the mothers he accuses and that he frequently claims that "interviewing these women would be a waste of time because all women are liars". This is a very dangerous man with a very dangerous agenda. Please, I beg you, before you buy into his theories, please check him out. Having a degree does NOT mean he is accurate.

I find it very scary that Dr. Schreier has almost single-handedly devastated so many families with his quick-handed diagnosis' of MSbP. Dr. Schreier is not even a member of the AMA! As far as I can determine, the only thing he has ever published was this book during his entire 40+ year career. In my research I have not been able to find anything that Dr. Schreier has published in any leading medical or psychiatric journal. According to the AMA, Dr. Schreier's only area of expertise is in the field of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and yet he claims to be an expert on MSbP which is an adult disorder, not related to Child or Adolescent Psychiatry in any way. Dr. Schreier also makes it a practice to diagnose women as having MSbP without even interviewing them or their children. To my knowledge, he has never once diagnosed a man as having MSbP, although Canadian Research claims that approximately 20% of legitimate MSbP cases involve the father of the child, and NOT the mother. If that is so, then one must ask themselves why is it that Dr. Schreier has never made this accusation against a man. If you waste your money on this book, I would recommend that you think of it as a fantastic work of fiction, and if possible, I would rate this book as having a -4 Star rating.