Six years' experience in a children's hospital genetic clinic.

A genetic clinic has been held once a week at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital for the past 6 years. During the period 1971--1977, 579 patients were seen, of whom 56% had genetic conditions due to chromosome defects, Mendelian traits or a multifactorial type of inheritance. In these, genetic counselling was a prime importance regarding prognosis, risk of recurrence and possibility of antenatal diagnosis. A further 25% of patients seen had conditions of non-genetic origin and could be reassured, while in the remaining 19% no specific causation was detected.