Practice points
When the possibility of abuse or FII is being considered, it
is important to:
■■Take a detailed history from both the child (appropriate to
their age and developmental level) and his or her parent
or carer. It is especially important to look for implausible,
inadequate or inconsistent accounts of an injury
■■Distinguish between anxious parents or carers whose
children are genuinely sick and the rare cases of parents
or carers whose behaviour risks causing harm to the child
■■Observe the child’s demeanour and interaction with other
family members
■■Consider full top-to-toe examination with appropriate
chaperoning and consent
■■Document the history fully: what was said, and by whom.
Document any examinations and clinical findings—a body
map diagram may be useful for multiple injuries
■■Consider discussing any concerns with the lead GP within
the practice or organisation, or with the designated GP or
nurse for the area
■■Gather information about the wider family—e.g. from
health visitors or colleagues
■■Discuss concerns with the parent or carer. In cases of FII,
consider how to support the perpetrator too—about two in
three may suffer from chronic somatoform disorders (mental
illnesses that may cause physical symptoms) or factitious
disorders (whereby a person deliberately and consciously acts
as if they have a physical or mental illness when they do not).