A form of severe and chronic child abuse, factitious disorder imposed on another (FDIA) typically involves caregivers inducing illness in children, to meet their own psychological needs through various abusive methods. Due to the difficulty of detection within the medical system, this disorder can lead to irreversible harm to the child and even result in the child's death. Interventions for the child exhibiting symptoms of the disorder, seemingly concerned and continuously seeking treatment for their child, are often directed towards medical care. However identifying the caregiver's psychiatric disorder, the true cause of the symptoms, can be time-consuming. Although the prevalence of this disorder is low, its severity and difficulty of detection could lead abuse make it a topic of critical importance. The purpose of this review is to define FDIA, examine the characteristics of caregivers with FDIA, and explore the psychological effects of this form of abuse on children.