Abstract

This review is specifically focussed on common clinical patterns of factitious disorders in children and adolescents. Only a few case report were published in childhood and adolescence. For that reason, we also reviewed adult literature briefly. We aimed to emphasize recognition, differential diagnosis, and problems related to misdiagnosis and we added some therapeutic interventions. Factitious disorders a re uncommon and Munchausen syndrome by proxy is rare, but awareness of psychiatric and clinical signs is important to prevent morbidity or mortality. The goal in factitious illness is to gain the sick role; the goal in malingering is to gain rewards, such as compensation, or to avoid the unwanted situations. Conceptually, these disorders lie in the gray zone between malingering and real diseases. Clinical awareness will prevent unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. This article summamzes clinically relevant information on factitious disorders for primary care physicians.