Comparison of the care of children with Down's syndrome with the care of matched controls.

A prospective study of the care of 134-children with Down's syndrome and 134 age- and sex-matched control children during 1981 has shown that the former group had significantly greater contact with the general practitioner, mostly owing to respiratory problems which were treated significantly more often with antibiotics. Referrals to specialist care were more common in the Down's children but the interface between general practice and paediatric care was not great. The study emphasizes the need for general practitioners to plan the care of Down's children and normal children with respect both to acute illness and the monitoring of chronic childhood illness.