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Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Munchausen by Proxy: when parents hurt their kids
Munchausen by Proxy: when parents hurt their kids
Munchausen by Proxy: when parents hurt their kids
Thursday 26th June 2025
Explore Munchausen by Proxy with expert insights from Dr. Brenda Bursch and Professor Jon Jureidini on parental deception and child abuse.
32 minutes
Informative
Eye-opening
Compassionate
Engaging
Educational
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ABC Radio
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Categories:
Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing
Mindful Recovery
Sexual Stigmas & Myths
Mindfulness & Technology in Health
Parenting & Children
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Get the buttons here!Munchausen by Proxy: Unravelling the Mystery of Parental Deception
Episode Overview
- Munchausen by Proxy involves caregivers fabricating or inducing illness in children.
- Medical professionals can be misled by convincing deceit from perpetrators.
- Personality disorders and past trauma may contribute to the behaviour.
- Acknowledging responsibility is crucial for potential reform in abusers.
- Adopting respectful scepticism can help prevent medical deception.
It's incredible to think that people can get away with these lies about their children at all, let alone for years.
Imagine a parent fabricating their child's illness to gain attention. This episode of 'All In The Mind' delves into the chilling phenomenon of Munchausen by Proxy, a disorder where caregivers intentionally harm or falsify medical conditions in children. Dr. Brenda Bursch and Professor Jon Jureidini provide expert insights into this complex form of abuse. Brenda shares her experience with a case that left her both shocked and fascinated.
A young girl, subjected to extreme medical interventions, had no underlying health issues – all orchestrated by her mother, a respiratory therapist. This gripping tale raises the question: how do such deceptions go unnoticed for so long? You'll hear how the medical system can sometimes miss the mark, allowing these deceitful narratives to thrive. John suggests adopting 'respectful scepticism' in medical practice to prevent such cases.
The podcast explores the motivations behind these actions, hinting at psychological disorders and past traumas as possible drivers. While some perpetrators might be beyond reform, others could potentially change if they acknowledge their actions. This thought-provoking episode doesn't just aim to satisfy curiosity about unusual crimes but seeks to improve prevention and treatment strategies. Dive into the mystery of why parents hurt their children and what can be done to stop it.