Transgender Children: Clinical and Ethical Issues in Prepubertal Presentations

Abstract

The author, a co-founder and the Director of the Gender & Sexuality Psychosocial Program at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., discusses clinical issues and interventions for prepubertal children with atypical gender development. He describes developmental issues related to concepts of gender for preadolescent children. The importance of working within the family system and helping the family to accept their child in order to become advocates for the child are discussed. Finally, some of the complicated issues surrounding the question of whether a child should begin to transition genders prior to reaching puberty are explored.

KEYWORDS:

• gender
• sex
• gender identity
• gender role
• transgender
• transsexual
• gender constancy
• gender dysphoria

The author is a member of the Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Issues Committee of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.