Factitious disorders and the psychosomatic continuum in children.

A continuum may be described as spanning between the psychological reactions of children and families to a child's illness, the exaggeration or simulation of symptoms for psychological reasons, and the production of factitious symptoms in the child by the parent. However, there are critical clues that allow the alert clinician to recognize where his patient falls on the continuum. Because factitious disorders are uncommon and Munchausen syndrome by proxy is rare, awareness of psychiatric and clinical signs is important to prevent morbidity or mortality.