Annotation Pediatricians, medical geneticists, genetics counselors. Genetic testing now plays an important role in the investigation of almost every child who presents with one of the many commonly inherited disorders that make a major contribution to pediatric morbidity and mortality throughout the world. It can be difficult for even the most conscientious practitioner to keep abreast of developments and to appreciate both the significance and relevance of some of the major discoveries of recent years. The number of conditions that have been mapped or in which the causative gene has been isolated is vast. In this book, coverage has been restricted to the more common single-gene disorders that are likely to be encountered in general pediatric practice, with particular attention focused on those in which molecular analysis can play an important role in the diagnosis or management of a child and his or her family.