[Socio-educational management of children with genetic handicaps. I. Basic principles]

The authors describe the main characteristics of the educative management of the child with a handicap related to a genetic disease. The educative management must be started early, in parallel with the diagnosis procedures and medical management, and adapted to the nature of the handicap and the age. The best answer to the child's needs requires an individualized educative programme, collectively settled with the different professionals working with the child and the parents, taking into account its deficits and abilities, established for a given period of time, and regularly adapted according to the evolution.