▁staff , ▁and ▁dem ands ▁further ▁inter vention , ▁more ▁procedures , ▁second ▁opinions , ▁and ▁trans fers ▁to ▁more ▁s oph istic ated ▁facilities . ▁ ▁The ▁sus pected ▁parent ▁may ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁health - care ▁field ▁themselves ▁or ▁profess ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁a ▁health - related ▁job . ▁ ▁The ▁signs ▁and ▁sympt oms ▁of ▁a ▁child ' s ▁ill ness ▁may ▁less en ▁or ▁simply ▁van ish ▁in ▁the ▁parent ' s ▁absence ▁( h ospital ization ▁and ▁careful ▁monitoring ▁may ▁be ▁necessary ▁to ▁establish ▁this ▁caus al ▁relationship ). ▁ ▁A ▁family ▁history ▁of ▁similar ▁or ▁un exp la ined ▁ill ness ▁or ▁death ▁in ▁a ▁sib ling . ▁ ▁A ▁parent ▁with ▁sympt oms ▁similar ▁to ▁their ▁child ' s ▁own ▁medical ▁problems ▁or ▁an ▁ill ness ▁history ▁that ▁itself ▁is ▁puzz ling ▁and ▁unusual . ▁ ▁A ▁sus pected ▁em otion ally ▁distant ▁relationship ▁between ▁parents ; ▁the ▁sp ouse ▁often ▁fails ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁patient ▁and ▁has ▁little ▁contact ▁with ▁phys icians ▁even ▁when ▁the ▁child ▁is ▁hospital ized ▁with ▁a ▁serious ▁ill ness . ▁ ▁A ▁parent ▁who ▁reports ▁dram atic , ▁negative ▁events , ▁such ▁as ▁house ▁fires , ▁burg l aries , ▁or ▁car ▁acc idents , ▁that ▁affect ▁them ▁and ▁their ▁family ▁while ▁their ▁child ▁is ▁under going ▁treatment . ▁ ▁A ▁parent ▁who ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁an ▁ins ati able ▁need ▁for ▁ad ulation ▁or ▁who ▁makes ▁self - ser ving ▁efforts ▁for ▁public ▁acknowled gment ▁of ▁their ▁ab ilities