WBR0502
| Author | [[PageAuthor::Ayokunle Olubaniyi, M.B,B.S [1]]] |
|---|---|
| Exam Type | ExamType::USMLE Step 1 |
| Main Category | MainCategory::Behavioral Science/Psychiatry |
| Sub Category | SubCategory::Endocrine |
| Prompt | [[Prompt::A 7-year-old boy is brought to the pediatrics clinic by his mother for fever of 39 °C (102.2 °F), cough and wheezing for the past week. Over the last 24 hours, the child has developed nausea, vomiting, and watery diarrhea. The child's past medical history is significant for neurofibromatosis, asthma, and seizure disorder. He is currently taking daily albuterol and valproic acid. His mother explains that she was diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus at his age and fears he may have developed it too. On physical examination, you note a lethargic and ill-appearing boy. His heart rate is 96/min, blood pressure is 124/84 mm Hg, temperature is 36.8°C (98.2°F), and respiratory rate is 28/min. You decide to admit the child for evaluation and monitoring. Over the next two days, the patient has recurrent episodes of hypoglycemia, with fingerstick glucose levels as low as 33 mg/dL. Both episodes occur at night, with the mother alerting the nurses of each time. Futher investigation reveals a serum insulin level of 2344 µU/mL (5–25 µU/mL) and a C-peptide level of 0.9 ng/mL (0.8–4.0 ng/mL). Which of the following is a possible explanation of the boy’s hypoglycemia?]] |
| Answer A | AnswerA::Malingering |
| Answer A Explanation | [[AnswerAExp::Incorrect. This is fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disorders in order to attain a "secondary gain" which may include financial compensation, avoiding school, work or military service, obtaining drugs, getting lighter criminal sentences, or simply to attract attention or sympathy. These complaints cease with attainment of the secondary gain.]] |
| Answer B | AnswerB::Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy |
| Answer B Explanation | AnswerBExp::Correct. This happens when illness in a child is caused by a caregiver. |
| Answer C | AnswerC::Adjustment disorder |
| Answer C Explanation | AnswerCExp::Incorrect. This is a condition where an individual is unable to adjust to or cope with a particular stressor, like a major life event. Symptoms may include anxiety or depression, and which lasts for less than 6 months. |
| Answer D | AnswerD::Munchausen syndrome |
| Answer D Explanation | [[AnswerDExp::Incorrect. Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected exaggerate diseases, illnesses, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper syndrome. There is a history of multiple hospital admissions and willingness to receive invasive procedures.]] |
| Answer E | AnswerE::Somatization disorder |
| Answer E Explanation | [[AnswerEExp::Incorrect. Somatization disorder, a.k.a Briquet's syndrome or hysteria, is characterized by recurring, multiple, clinically significant complaints about pain, gastrointestinal, sexual and pseudoneurological symptoms. Individuals with somatization disorder typically visit many doctors in pursuit of effective treatment]] |
| Right Answer | RightAnswer::B |
| Explanation | [[Explanation::Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a pattern of behavior in which a caregiver deliberately exaggerates, fabricates, and/or induces physical, psychological, behavioral, and/or mental health problems in those who are in their care. In this vignette, the child was been injected insulin as demonstrated by the markedly elevated plasma insulin level despite a normal serum C-peptide level, and the mother was most likely responsible.
Munchausen syndrome by proxy should be suspected in the following scenarios:
Educational Objective: |
| Approved | Approved::No |
| Keyword | WBRKeyword::Munchausen syndrome by proxy |
| Linked Question | Linked:: |
| Order in Linked Questions | LinkedOrder:: |