Fabricated or Induced Illness
Background information
Department of Health, Home Office, Department for Education and Skills, Welsh Assembly (2002) Safeguarding Children in Whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced gives national guidance and, in particular, refers to covert video investigation.
Fabricated or Induced Illness has in the past sometimes been referred to as Factitious Illness or Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy. It is defined as occurring when a parent or carer deliberately and persistently fabricates symptoms’ or induces illness in a child, causing the child to be regarded as ill. The child may have a genuine illness exaggerated or aggravated by the carer
Concerns may be raised when it is considered that the health or development of a child is likely to be significantly or further impaired by a parent or caregiver who has fabricated or induced illness. These concerns may arise when:
- Reported symptoms and signs found on examination are not explained by any medical condition from which the child may be suffering;
- Physical examination and results of medical investigations do not explain reported symptoms and signs; or
- There is an inexplicably poor response to prescribed medication and other treatment; or
- New symptoms are reported on resolution of previous ones; or
- Reported symptoms and found signs are not seen to begin in the absence of the caregiver; or
- Over time, the child is repeatedly presented by the parent or caregiver with a range of symptoms; or
- The child’s normal activities are being curtailed beyond what might be expected for any medical disorder from which the child is known to suffer.