title: Health care for gender variant or gender non-conforming children.
abstract: Most children explore various aspects of gender and sexuality as children. Youth with consistent, persistent, and insistent gender non-conformity or gender dysphoria are important to identify in the pre- and early-pubertal years as early intervention and support may be lifesaving. Those whose gender non-conformity persists into puberty and adolescence are most likely to identify as transgender. Blocking pubertal development at Tanner stage 2 for pre-pubertal, gender non-conforming children is a relatively new but reversible and highly beneficial strategy to delay puberty, giving patients and families time to come up with a transition plan. Early identification, collaborative support from healthcare providers and mental health clinicians, and supportive interventions for both children and families grappling with gender variance may improve social and mental health outcomes for what has traditionally been considered a high-risk, vulnerable population.
authors: Assistant professor of pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics at The Warren Alpert Medical School, and is affiliated with Hasbro Children's Hospital. She established and runs the Transgender Clinic at Hasbro Children's Hospita.
authors: Michelle M
authors: MM
authors: Forcier
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Haddad
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006296:Health Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063106:Transgender Persons
keywords: LGBTQ youth; child gender play; transgender