Gender disorder in children: What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Bui Thi Ha - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Child sex disorder occurs more commonly in males than in females. If gender identity disorder is not detected and treated, it will get worse. Patients will deny their gender and find ways to perform sex reassignment surgery.

1. What is gender identity disorder?

Gender identity disorder or gender dysphoria syndrome is a mental disorder in which a person tends not to recognize his or her gender and displays behaviors and attitudes in the opposite sex.
An individual with this disorder often feels uncomfortable about the makeup of his or her body. They often act and present themselves as members of the opposite sex group and desire to change their physical appearance. The disorder affects self-image and affects the person's personality, behavior, and way of dressing. They change their appearance by using cosmetics, hormone injections or transgender surgery.

2. Causes of gender identity disorder

The cause of gender dysphoria has not been discovered, but some theories on this issue suggest that:
Gender dysphoria is caused by testosterone imprinting on the fetal brain and has a role in guiding the development of gender identity. later gender; Hereditary (chromosomal) abnormalities; Hormonal imbalances during pregnancy or childhood development; Children lack care, nurturing from parents or lack of connection to society;

3. Symptoms of Gender Identity Disorder

Children with gender identity disorder often exhibit the following symptoms:
Expressing a desire to be of the opposite sex, including seeing themselves as the opposite sex and calling themselves by a different name ; Girls are afraid that breasts will grow and menstruate, she is likely to use a bra to limit its visibility; Believing that when they grow up they will become the opposite sex; Being shunned by friends of the same sex

Dress and behave typically of the opposite sex (girls in men's underwear); Separate yourself from social interactions and activities; Children say they want to be the opposite sex. If you see any of the above signs, parents should take the child to a medical examination and psychological examination. Specialized doctors and psychologists will take the medical history, find out the cause and have an accurate diagnosis as well as provide specific treatment for each case.

4. Treatment of gender identity disorder

Many people believe that for patients with gender identity disorder, the best treatment is gender reassignment surgery so that they can live with their desired gender.
Others, however, argue that transgenderism is a mental disorder that requires treatment. And transgenderism is actually “Biological Impotence”. Advocates of legalizing transgender surgery are advocating for patients with psychosis to change their bodies on their own, while you should help them find mental treatment.
Accordingly, the treatment of gender dysphoria should be focused on early detection of deviant behaviors at an early age, then psychological treatment should be carried out for the patient to accept gender self-acceptance. identity of the body and no longer desire to live like a person of the other sex.

5. Advice for parents

According to psychologists, from 18 to 30 months of age, most boys know they will become a boy and girls will become girls, and they want to imitate their father or mother, who is of the same sex as them.
At preschool age, children begin to have questions about gender. At that time, many parents chose to ignore and delay talking about sex with their children. While at present, children tend to have early puberty, the risk of sexual abuse is increasing, so early sex education for children is very necessary.
Delaying or waiting for older children to talk about sex is a good thing that children develop naturally according to their preferences. But it is possible that in those preferences there are preferences that are deviating from the gender, because the child is not instructed.
Therefore, with young children, parents need to be equipped with knowledge to answer their children's questions at any time. Children are aware of the gender difference between men and women from a very early age, so they are curious and want to learn. If children do not receive the correct explanation, they will make wild guesses or rely on their imagination through false information channels to find out. This is also the best time for children to develop both intellectually and personally.
At the same time, parents should also help their children avoid the risks of gender bias by dressing their children in gender-appropriate clothes, playing gender-appropriate games, making friends of the same sex before puberty and does not devalue the child's gender.

When there are manifestations of gender disorder in children, including the way they behave, act and think in their children, parents need to take time to care for, listen to and educate their children to change their perception. gradually. In addition, children should receive psychological treatment according to a scientific protocol to help shape their thinking and thinking.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.