Stage 1 treatment is reversible. Stage 2 treatment involves using gender-affirming hormones (oestrogen or testosterone) to change the body to be more consistent with the teenager's affirmed gender. Depending on the circumstances, this treatment can usually be started around the age of 16.
The Endocrine Society recommends that they wait until age 18, but because more kids are transitioning at younger ages, some doctors are doing these surgeries earlier on a case-by-case basis.
In most places in the United States, you will need permission from your parent or guardian to do a hormonal or surgical transition before you are 18. You may also need to talk with a mental health professional and get a letter of support before starting treatment.
Jennings is one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as transgender. Jennings received national attention in 2007 when an interview with Barbara Walters aired on 20/20, which led to other high-profile interviews and appearances.
Gender identity typically develops in stages: Around age two: Children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls. Before their third birthday: Most children can easily label themselves as either a boy or a girl. By age four: Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.
But first, can a child be nonbinary? The short answer is yes! Just like a child can identify as a girl or a boy, they can also identify as nonbinary or trans. Once your child is old enough to speak and talk about themselves, they can begin to communicate whether they do feel like one gender or another.
Children dressing up as the opposite gender is very common (almost as common, in fact, as parents who are worried about this behavior.) But rest assured, it is perfectly normal. Dressing up and playing pretend is the activity of choice for children of this age.
Some children are comfortable identifying as a gender that's different from their assumed gender. And being gender diverse or experimenting with gender expression isn't a problem unless your child seems upset or distressed about their gender. But some children do experience gender dysphoria.
For many children, this is part of normal exploration of gender identity. No one can tell you whether your child's gender identity or expression will change over time. What children need to know most is that you will love and accept them as they figure out their place in the world.
You may have heard the quote, “It's never too late to be your authentic self.” That is just as true for older adults coming out as transgender or gender diverse as it is for any other part of life. Transition can be difficult at any age — but may be more challenging for older adults.
But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. There's not usually any need to worry if puberty does not start around the average age, but it's a good idea to speak to your GP for advice if it starts before 8 or has not started by around 14.
The cost of puberty blockers is approximately $1,200 per month for injections and can range from $4,500 to $18,000 for an implant. The least expensive form of estrogen, a pill, can cost anywhere between $4 to $30 a month, according to Simons, while testosterone can be anywhere between $20 to $200 a vial.
Hormone Treatment
Hormone therapy can help you achieve more masculine or feminine characteristics. Commonly prescribed by a primary care provider or endocrinologist, hormone treatments can be part of a presurgical plan or a stand-alone service.
Transitioning is a process that can take anywhere between several months and several years. Some people, especially non-binary or genderqueer people, may spend their whole life transitioning and may redefine and re-interpret their gender as time passes.
The key sign of gender dysphoria is that the child feels extreme emotional distress because of their gender identity. They may get anxious, depressed or suicidal because of the difference between the gender they were assigned at birth and the gender they feel themselves to be.
I recommend that you start with a talk where you respectfully and lovingly let your daughter know how you feel about her gender identity and what your concerns are for her. You can also let her know what you are comfortable doing in support of her and what you are not.
A young child's exploration of different gender identities is quite common. However, for some children this may continue into later childhood and adolescence. Some people see gender as existing on a spectrum. This includes male, female and a diversity of gender identities such as non-binary and agender (no gender).
“If your child has come out to you as non-binary, one of the best things you can do is educate yourself,” says Geisinger pediatrician Dr. Megan Moran-Sands. “Consider joining an LGBTQ support group on social media, listening to podcasts or reading books on the topic.”
The fact that your son enjoys playing with girls' things or has qualities we typically associate with girls, such as sensitivity and gentleness, is an indication that you've been open and supportive and that you've provided him with opportunities that go beyond typical "boys'" play.
These behaviors do not necessarily mean your child is transgender. They simply suggest your child is getting to know the world around him and exploring what he or she likes to do. Behaviors that suggest gender curiosity rather than transgenderism include: Wearing clothes of the opposite sex.
You are not alone. Most people identify strongly with the gender they're expected to grow up as. But it's not uncommon for a person to identify strongly with the other gender. Sometimes the desire lasts only a brief time.
Pubertal blockers, often called “blockers,” are a type of medicine called “GnRH-agonists.” They are used to help temporarily suspend or block the physical changes of puberty. Pubertal blockers interrupt the signal from the brain to the gonads, which are the organs that make the hormones of puberty.
You may feel: certain that your gender identity conflicts with your biological sex. comfortable only when in the gender role of your preferred gender identity (may include non-binary) a strong desire to hide or be rid of physical signs of your biological sex, such as breasts or facial hair.
A gender dysphoria test is a set of psychological questions to determine whether you have gender dysphoria. The gender therapist will talk to you about your symptoms, how long they've been going on for if there are any related complications such as depression or anxiety, and other possible causes for these feelings.