Concurrent factitious disorder and factitious disorder by proxy - Double jeopardy

Two forms of medical dissimulation-factitious disorder and factitious disorder by proxy-present enormous challenges to clinicians accustomed to receiving valid symptom reports from their patients. The consequences of such ''disease forgery'' are heightened when a patient simultaneously engages in both forms of deception. We discuss a 34-year-old nurse who simulated or induced a panoply of physical and psychological ailments in both herself and her daughter The staff's insistence on access to outside information sources proved indispensible in establishing both diagnoses, facilitating ongoing treatment for the patient and ensuring appropriate protection of the child. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.