Lehigh Valley Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy Misdiagnosis

Call an Allentown child abuse attorney if you have been accused of Munchausen syndrome in the Lehigh Vlaley PA Also known as Factitious Disorder imposed on self (FDIS), is a mental health condition characterized by a person repeatedly and deliberately faking or exaggerating physical or psychological symptoms in themselves. Individuals with Munchausen syndrome may go to great lengths to feign illness, injury, or disability, often undergoing unnecessary medical procedures, tests, or surgeries. They might visit multiple doctors, hospitals, or healthcare facilities to seek attention and medical interventions. Treatment for Munchausen syndrome typically involves psychiatric therapy, including psychotherapy and counseling. Building trust with the individual is essential for successful treatment, as they often have a deep-seated need for attention and sympathy. Psychotherapy can help address the underlying psychological issues that drive their behavior and provide healthier ways to cope with emotional distress. Several parents were wrongly accused of abusing their children in Lehigh Valley by Dr. Esernio-Jenssen. If you were wrongfully accused, call an Allentown abuse lawyer for a free consultation. We can meet you in Bethlehem PA, Easton PA, Allentown PA or the greater Lehigh Valley PA.

Munchausen syndrome in children is a variant of the disorder known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), or Factitious Disorder imposed on another (FDIA). Unlike Munchausen syndrome, where individuals fake or exaggerate their own symptoms to garner attention and sympathy, MSBP or FDIA involves a caregiver, often a parent or guardian, fabricating or inducing illness or symptoms in a child under their care. The primary motive in such cases is usually to assume the role of a concerned and attentive caregiver, receive sympathy and attention from healthcare providers, and sometimes gain access to medical interventions or treatments.

What are the causes and origin of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in children?

People with Munchausen syndrome by proxy seek attention, emotional benefits, sympathy, and empathy. They do not fake their own symptoms of medical conditions but use their children to gain unnecessary medical attention. They exploit their power over minors under their custody to achieve their cruel goals.

Is the Munchausen syndrome by proxy considered as Lehigh Valley child abuse or a kind of domestic violence?

Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), also known as Factitious Disorder imposed on another (FDIA), is considered a form of Lehigh Valley child abuse or child assault. It involves a caregiver, often a parent or a legal guardian, intentionally fabricating or inducing illness or symptoms in a child under their care for various motives, such as gaining attention, sympathy, or benefits.

Can the Munchausen syndrome by proxy be misdiagnosed?

Various physical and mental health issues may be misdiagnosed. Lehigh Valley misdiagnosis is very dangerous because it leads to unnecessary treatment, lack of treatment, improper treatment, delayed treatment, or even expensive, painful, invasive medical procedures that are medically irrelevant to the actual patient’s condition. The Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis may lead to serious legal consequences. Munchausen syndrome by proxy is punishable; criminal charges may include loss of custody, prison time, probation, parole, and fines. Lehigh Valley Munchausen syndrome by custody diagnosis is a long and complex process. It requires investigation of the legal guardian or parent and children, deep research, and strong, indisputable evidence of child abuse. However, multiple Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnoses occurred in Lehigh Valley recently.

Several parents were wrongly accused of abusing their children in Lehigh Valley.

Lehigh Valley Health Network made a statement and defended the doctor alleged of Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis and explained how the diagnosis process works.

Dozens of parents, guardians, and caregivers alleged Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen had mistreated them. The Allentown pediatrician is affiliated with Lehigh County’s John Van Brakle Child Advocacy Center (CAC) based at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street in the city. Lehigh Valley Health Network – partner of the hospital where doctor Esernio-Jenssen works, made a statement. They strongly defend the physician accused of dozens of Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis of innocent parents. LVHN says, “Physicians specializing in child protective medicine are often the unfortunate target of emotionally driven and unsubstantiated criticism.” The pediatrician said she did not initiate any child abuse case in Lehigh Valley. The cases of suspected child domestic violence, sexual assault, or hazardous caregivers’ mental health conditions threatening children’s safety, like Munchausen syndrome by proxy, are reported and referred to Lehigh County’s John Van Brakle Child Advocacy Center via the state reporting system. Within the CAC, Dr. Esernio-Jenssen and her team work in partnership with the child’s medical professionals to assess each case. In the vast majority of instances, no evidence of child abuse is discovered, aligning with national statistical norms. LVHN clinicians do not independently arrive at a conclusive decision regarding the necessity of child protective services intervention in instances of suspected child abuse or neglect. A medical examination is just one element among several factors, including evidence, photographs, and testimonies, that are taken into account by the legal system or child protective services. These entities ultimately make the ultimate determination regarding the need for protective services.

Lehigh Valley controller alleges Dr. Esernio-Jenssen of several child abuse misdiagnoses leading to severe consequences for parents and children.

However, a report by Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley revealed that Lehigh County has a very high rate of Munchausen syndrome by proxy diagnosis. Out of the ten cases reported between 2017 and 2021 in the extensive 14-county northeastern region of Pennsylvania, eight of these incidents occurred specifically within Lehigh and Northampton counties, constituting a “significant majority,” as indicated by the controller. Notably, Philadelphia, with a population more than twice that of the combined Lehigh Valley counties, reported seven cases of the syndrome during the same timeframe. According to Pinsley’s report, Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) and its related diagnosis, Medical Child Abuse, are considered child abuse. However, Pinsley’s investigation did not solely focus on MSBP; it also uncovered potential misdiagnoses in other categories of child abuse, including shaken baby syndrome, various forms of head trauma, and brittle bone disease. Pinsley’s report explains that child abuse investigations can lead to three possible outcomes: founded, unfounded, or “indicated” allegations against an accused parent. Pinsley highlights that issues may arise from these investigations, such as parents losing custody of their children or incurring unnecessary costs, all without due process. The report points out that while a successful appeal can clear someone’s name from the ChildLine and registry database of suspected abusers, many cases have historically been upheld, creating a lack of recourse for those wrongly accused.

Additionally, the report highlights a significant discrepancy between two reviewing bodies: the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Office of Children, Youth and Families and the State Department’s Bureau of Hearings and Appeals. While the former upholds most “indicated” reports, the latter consistently overturns a supermajority of them. As a result of these issues, caregivers are labeled as child abusers without a judge or jury, potentially causing significant harm to their lives, including job loss and damage to their reputation. The report emphasizes that Lehigh County is central to this problem and urges county officials to investigate the reasons behind these oversights. The report underscores the government’s overreach in separating children from their parents without proper justification, particularly in cases of alleged MSBP diagnoses that appear to follow a similar pattern and may lack sufficient evidence of parental involvement. Parents who spoke with the controller shared their experiences of losing custody of their children during such diagnoses, which they believed were made hastily and without adequate information or parental engagement.

Parents accused of Lehigh Valley child abuse state they are innocent and feel like their children were kidnapped.

Parents and guardians voiced their concerns, asserting that the diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome by proxy seemed to occur rapidly and with limited poor information, feeling like their child had been essentially taken from them. In response to their grief, they have taken proactive steps by establishing the Greater Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Parents Medical Rights Group. Caregivers feel ruined after losing custody and being separated from their beloved children. Both parents and children suffer from emotional distress, isolation, loneliness, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Not to mention shame and loss of trustworthiness due to being alleged of harming their children. Minors suffer from isolation and do not understand why they were taken from their parents to a strange environment. Parents who lose custody of their children are devastated by the unfair and improperly conducted process of Munchausen syndrome by proxy diagnosis with no strong or indisputable evidence against them. They want to regain custody of their children, seek justice for unfair and harmful treatment, and protect other children and caregivers from similar devastating mistakes that can ruin the whole family’s lives.

What should parents do to seek justice for themselves and their children and regain custody and reputation?

Allentown Child Abuse Lawyer

Lehigh Valley Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis claim: unjustly accused parents may bring class action to seek justice for their children being taken from them with no relevant basis. Call a Lehigh Valley child abuse lawyer for a free consultation in Alentown, Bethlehem or Easton.

Parents who believe they have been wrongfully diagnosed with MSBP are encouraged to promptly contact our Lehigh Valley attorney. At Trapani Law Firm, our attorneys are dedicated to representing parents and legal guardians who have been unjustly accused of child abuse. We are committed and work tirelessly to thoroughly investigate cases and provide legal help to those who sought help for their children in Lehigh Valley Hospital emergency rooms and lost them instead. Our Bethlehem child abuse misdiagnosis lawyers will bring indisputable evidence against Lehigh County’s John Van Brakle Child Advocacy Center to support the claim. Our Easton Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis attorney will investigate the process of child abuse diagnosis to find gaps, lack of parents’ hearing, and lack of clear evidence of Bethlehem child violence. We will put our tireless work, experience, and expertise to prove innocent parents’ right to care for their children and minors’ right to be with their beloved parents. We know how to bring Easton’s child abuse misdiagnosis claim to seek custody and compensation for the family. Easton, Bethlehem, and Lehigh Valley caregivers falsely accused of MSBP and other kinds of child abuse may be entitled to receive compensation for their significant losses. Guardians wrongly and unjustly accused of any kind of harassment to their children may sue the liable party for loss of employment, loss of reputation, discredited, loss of trustworthiness, being slandered of horrible behavior, emotional distress, being separated from their children, loss of custody, child’s trauma, anxieties, and emotional losses. Some parents wrongly accused of Bethlehem child abuse might be punished with jail time, prison time, financial fines, termination of parental rights, and criminal records. They may sue the defendants to recover those damages as well. Our Lehigh Valley child abuse Munchausen syndrome by proxy attorney works based on a contingency fee, which means we only get our lawyer fee when and if we are able to compensate our client’s damages. Our Trapani Law Easton child abuse lawyers are experienced in Lehigh Valley domestic violence, child abuse, and child sexual assault. In addition to filing Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis claims, our lawyers are able to help multiple harmed families to file a Lehigh Valley class action lawsuits.

Lehigh Valley child sexual assault lawyer

Philadelphia child sexual assault is a deeply concerning issue in the United States, as it is in many countries worldwide. It involves any sexual activity or contact between an adult or older individual and a child who is unable to give informed consent due to their age. Child sexual assault can take various forms, including molestation, rape, child pornography, and grooming. The problem of child sexual assault is significant and has garnered significant attention from law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups, and policymakers. The exact prevalence of child sexual assault is challenging to determine, as many cases go unreported due to fear, shame, blackmail, or intimidation. However, statistics suggest that it is a widespread issue. Various surveys and studies estimate that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys experience child sexual abuse in the United States. The United States has a comprehensive legal framework to address child sexual assault. Penalties for child sexual assault vary by state and the case’s specific circumstances but can include imprisonment, fines, mandatory sex offender registration, and probation or parole. Sentences can range from a few years to life in prison, depending on the severity of the offense. Many states and counties have laws that require certain professionals, such as teachers, psychologists, therapists, healthcare providers, and social workers, to report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to child protective services or law enforcement. Various organizations and support services exist to help child victims and their families, such as Child Advocacy Centers, which provide a safe and child-friendly environment for interviews and medical examinations. Child sexual assault faulty accusations happen very rarely. Although Lehigh Valley child sexual assault accusations can occur due to poor investigation, wrong teachers’ or psychologists’ suspicions, improper physician’s examination, and irrelevant evidence, just as with the Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis. Parents, guardians, or caregivers accused of child sexual assault may lose their employment, social life, reputation, trustworthiness, and custody of all children under their care. Wrongly accused caregivers may be unjustly punished with jail time, prison time, fines, termination of parental rights, and criminal records.

In case of being wrongly and unjustly accused of any kind of Lehigh Valley child abuse, caregivers may be entitled to sue the advocacy center or physician who examined the suspected victim of Lehigh Valley child sexual assault. Our Easton Trapani Law Firm child abuse lawyers are experienced in representing both wrongly and unjustly accused guardians and caregivers and real victims of Lehigh Valley child sexual assault. As Lehigh Valley dedicated lawyers, we will make ourselves available to pay attention to every case involving suspected child harm. We offer free consultations at Easton, PA; Bethlehem, PA; Allentown, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Lehigh Valley and online via Zoom, phone call, Messenger, and WhatsApp. We will discuss every doubt, information gap, and disputable piece of evidence and investigate the whole situation cautiously to determine whether Lehigh Valley child abuse occurs. Contact our Easton, PA, child abuse lawyers to increase your chances for justice. Our Bethlehem Munchausen syndrome by proxy misdiagnosis attorneys are available 24/7 for consultation.