CHARGE ASSOCIATION - AN UPDATE AND REVIEW FOR THE PRIMARY PEDIATRICIAN

CHARGE association is a nonrandom pattern of congenital anomalies that occurs together more frequently than one would expect on the basis of chance, This common multiple anomaly condition has an estimated preva lence of 1:10,000. The number of children diagnosed with CHARGE associ ation is increasing, owing presumably to greater a awareness of this c ondition and advances in the care of complex, chronically ill children , resulting in improved survival and outcome, This review of CHARGE as sociation presents diagnostic criteria that may define a concise, reco gnizable syndrome with a single pathogenetic basis. This review also s ummarizes our current understanding of the management for this complex and chronic multiple congenital anomaly condition and discusses the p athogenetic basis for this condition.