Fabricated and Induced Illness (FII)

Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) is a rare but serious form of child abuse. It occurs when a parent or carer behaves in a way that leads to a child being harmed, or at risk of harm, by causing or exaggerating health problems in order to convince professionals that the child is unwell or more unwell than they actually are.

Professionals may use different terms to describe related presentations:

• Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS): where a child has symptoms that are genuinely experienced but not explained by a medical condition, often linked to underlying psychosocial factors. Parents and professionals work together to support the child.
• Perplexing Presentations (PP): where there are concerns or unusual features about a child’s health, but no immediate risk of serious harm is identified.
• Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII): where there is clear concern that a child’s illness is being fabricated, exaggerated, or induced by a caregiver, placing the child at risk of harm.

It is important that professionals recognise and respond appropriately to these presentations to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.

Useful Resources

Pan Cheshire and Merseyside Guideline for Management of Perplexing Presentations and Fabricated or Induced Illness