Gene coding means sick children get help earlier

CHILDREN with rare genetic conditions are getting a diagnosis two years earlier thanks to advances in whole-genome sequencing, a study has found.

- BY HANNA GEISSLER

The technique gives a readout of a person's entire genetic code and looks for changes in it relating to specific health conditions.

For youngsters, this means they are being diagnosed at the age of six on average, compared with eight using earlier techniques that focused on partial sequencing.

One family said their son's diagnosis with a rare condition gave them "power" to help him.