"Painful and disabling granuloma annulare": a case of Munchausen by proxy.

We report the unusual case of a child who from age 6 received fourteen excisions and four grafting procedures in an attempt to control "painful and disabling granuloma annulare." Although the lesions were considered disabling by the mother, they were nontender on repeated examinations. A careful investigation revealed that the mother was falsely describing symptoms necessitating surgery so she could receive public housing and other benefits for parents with a disabled child. We believe this case should alert the clinician as to the extreme measures imposed on children in Munchausen syndrome by proxy.