The primary care physician's approach to congenital anomalies.

Children with congenital anomalies often represent a special diagnostic and management challenge. To provide optimal care for these children, one must employ a systematic approach to identify the likely pathogenic mechanism leading to the birth defects present. Determining how distinct anomalies relate to one another may lead to elucidation of a specific genetic etiology for the patient's condition. Genetic testing is increasingly available to allow for diagnostic confirmation. Using this systematic approach to a child with congenital anomalies permits accurate prognostic and recurrence risk counseling, informed management decisions, and the appropriate allocation of social support and medical resources.