Is there a case in favour of predictive genetic testing in young children?

Genetic testing technology has brought the ability to predict the onset of diseases many years before symptoms appear and the use of such predictive t esting is now widespread. The medical fraternity has met the application of this practice to children with caution. The justification for their predom inantly prohibitive stance has revolved around the lack of a readily identi fiable medical benefit in the face of potential psychological harms to the child. We argue that predictive testing can have important psychosocial ben efits and that the interests of the child have been construed too narrowly. Proponents of a prohibitive stance also argue that testing in childhood br eaches the child's future light to make the same decision as an autonomous adult and to maintain this information as confidential. We argue that predi ctive genetic testing of children is not necessarily a violation of the chi ld's future autonomy. Indeed, in some cases, such testing may facilitate th e development of autonomy in the maturing child. We argue that parents are generally best placed to judge what is in their own child's overall interes ts, and that a parental request for testing after appropriate genetic couns elling should be respected unless there is clear evidence that the child wi ll be harmed in an overall sense as a result of testing.