Summary

Highly valued across the world by genetic counsellors, medical geneticists and other healthcare professionals, Harper's Practical Genetic Counselling has established itself over previous editions as the essential guide to counselling those at risk from inherited disorders.

Fully revised by its new author Angus Clarke, and with additional input from colleagues, this eighth edition provides indispensable and up-to-date guidance, helping readers to navigate the profusion of new information in this area and the associated psychosocial and ethical considerations and concerns. Maintaining the trusted framework of earlier editions, the update presents the latest information on the use and interpretation of genetic test results, including new genomebased investigations and their application in the genetic counselling process. This book will help both the student and the practitioner, as genetic and genomic investigations become progressively more relevant to all healthcare professionals with the mainstreaming of genetics across the full range of medical practice.

The eighth edition of this best-selling text will continue to be an essential source of reference for trainee and practitioner genetic counsellors and medical geneticists, for clinicians and nurses working in mainstream specialties who increasingly are dealing with the genetic aspects of disease, and for practitioners working in settings where referral to a genetics specialist is not readily available. It also provides invaluable background for other healthcare professionals, counsellors, social scientists, ethicists and genetics laboratory staff.


Table of Contents

PART 1: General Aspects of Genetics and Genetic Counselling. 1. Genetics and Genetic Counselling: An Introduction. 2. Genetic Counselling in Mendelian Disorders. 3. Common Disorders and Genetic Counselling. 4. Chromosome Abnormalities. 5. Genetic and Genomic Investigations. 6. Dysmorphology and Genetic Syndromes. 7. Carrier Testing. 8. Predictive Genetic Testing. 9. Prenatal Diagnosis, Antenatal Screening and Reproductive Aspects of Medical Genetics. 10. Special Issues in Genetic Counselling. 11. Clinical Genetics Services. 12. Treatments and Trials for Genetic Disease. PART 2: Genetic Counselling: Specific Organ Systems. 13. Neuromuscular Disorders. 14. Central Nervous System: Paediatric and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. 15. Central Nervous System: Adult-Onset and Psychiatric Disorders. 16. Disorders of Bone and Connective Tissue. 17. Oral and Craniofacial Disorders.18. The Skin. 19. The Eye. 20. Deafness. 21. Cardiac and Cardiovascular Disorders. 22. Respiratory Disorders. 23. The Gastrointestinal Tract. 24. Renal and Urinary Tract Diseases. 25. Endocrine and Reproductive Disorders. 26. Inborn Errors of Metabolism. 27 Disorders of Blood and Immune Function. 28. Environmental Hazards. PART 3: Genetic Counselling and Testing for Cancer. 29. Cancer as a Genetic Disorder. 30. Colorectal Cancer Syndromes. 31. Breast and Ovarian Cancer. 32. Rare Mendelian Cancer Syndromes and Other Cancers. PART 4: Genetic Counselling in Context: The Broader Picture. 33. Communication in Genetic Councelling. 34. Population Aspects of Genetic Counselling and Genetic Screening. 35. Genetics, Society and the Future. Glossary. Appendix 1: Further Reading and Information. Appendix 2: Practical Genetic Counselling - The Life Story of a Book.