Munchausens by Proxy Accusations in Children with Mitochondrial Disease

This topic is dramatically important to the parents of children with complex gastrointestinal presentations of mitochondrial disease.  MitoAction brings this topic to our Mito community today in response to the increasing number of accusations of child abuse and Munchausen by proxy that have been placed upon many parents of children struggling from the devastating symptoms of mitochondrial disease.

Join us this month as we celebrate "International Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week" across the globe and join efforts to improve awareness, acceptance and understanding of mitochondrial disease and the impact that the condition has on children and adults.

Dr. Flores will discuss "Munchausen by proxy and the intestinal failure patient" and take a candid look at cases where children with mitochondrial disease and intestinal failure caused the family's ability to care for the child to be called into question.  Dr. Flores will address the challenges that face both physicians and parents when caring for these patients.

About the Speaker

Dr. Alex Flores serves on the MitoAction Medical Advisory Board and iis Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center, and an Associate Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. He is a graduate of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala School of Medical Sciences, and received graduate training at Baylor College of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, Duke University Medical Center, Hospital Militar, Jacaltenango Hospital, Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala, and the World Health Organization-UNICEF. Dr. Flores is board certified in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Pediatrics and works closely with Dr.  Mark Korson to support metabolic and mitochondrial patients with GI dysfunction.  In addition to developing the LAPEG procedure, Dr. Flores' specialties include GI motility disorders, and general pediatric gastroenterology.