Puberty BLockers

Puberty blockers buy prepubescent kids some time to figure out who they are before they go on to develop secondary sex characteristics. Some children who are intersex receive treatment with puberty blockers. 

Boys with Adrenal Insufficiency Syndrome [AIS] or Klinefelter Syndrome [KS] may develop breast tissue, and girls with 5-Alpha-Reductase Deficiency may experience facial hair growth. In these situations, some girls and boys receive treatment with puberty blockers, but not everyone with KS or AIS goes on to accept treatment.  A seven-year old girl is not going to be emotionally prepared for monthly cycles and therefore these types of situations present the need to make decisions that are in the best interest of that child.

Parents and trans advocates are growing in numbers, discouraging parents from agreeing to puberty blockers. Why would a trans person who has gone through a medical transition or surgical transition discourage parents from agreeing to accept puberty blocker treatments for their kids? 

Some of these individuals have had lived experience from having been treated with puberty blockers and went on to opt for gender-affirming surgery [GAS] to end up with complications. While they may have been treated for complications and received revisions, they came to understand that these complications may never have occurred had they developed secondary sex characteristics that limit the risks of undergoing Phalloplasty [construction of a penis] or Vaginoplasty [construction of a vagina].  However, it is important to note that even individuals who have gone through puberty are not spared the possibilities of complications. Any type of surgery comes with risks, regardless of whether it is to remove an appendex or gallbladder.

Please ensure you meet with an experienced pediatrician specializing in gender-affirming care [GAC] who consults a pediatric endocrinologist specializing in pediatric GAC. A good pediatrician will encourage the child and family to meet with a gender-affirming therapist. Providers who bridge care make a difference in the child's life by communicating with other providers. 

Gender-affirming therapists can be helpful to parents and families needing direction and support. They often will work with pediatricians and specialists once they receive the parents' approval.

Information about puberty blockers

We do not have enough data and until we do, recommendations will vary hinging on the knowledge, expertise, and experience of a provider.