Some Munchausen's parents can be cured
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.PARENTS WHO abuse their children by deliberately poisoning or injuring them to secure medical attention can be cured with psychiatric treatment, doctors report today.
The parents' condition, known as Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, affects about one in 200,000 children under 16 in the UK.
Dr David Jones and colleagues at the Park Hospital for Children in Oxford chose 12 families with Munchausen's by proxy for therapy. The 13 children involved had "illnesses" including poisoning, facial disfigurement and "epilepsy" and failure to thrive. Ten of the children were returned to their parents and three were placed in care. Most of those returned developed normally.
Dr Jones, whose findings appear in Archives of Disease in Childhood, is one of 14 consultants threatened by parents for their work on the condition.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments