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People with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome actually cause a child under their care (usually their own offspring) to suffer physical symptoms in order to get sympathy from health professionals. This is an example of a somatoform disorder and, although rare, is as well understood as other such conditions. People with this syndrome frequently have some experience in health care, which helps them to feign credible symptoms. They were often emotionally neglected in childhood, except when they were ill. Hence they associate being sick with being cared for. The most puzzling aspect of the Munchausen's by Proxy is why do they subject a child to abuse rather than themselves, as in regular Munchausen's? Here, there is more speculation. A likely possibility is that they sense that they will get attention as the parent of a sick child but have no expectation that their own suffering would even be acknowledged. This is a hard syndrome to study because it is so rare. Possibly the victims saw siblings or friends who were sick getting a lot of attention, while they themselves were negllected.
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