“Today the phenomenon of gender dysphoria is a little more evident. But it is a problem that has perhaps always been present. It is under discussion whether it is a little more evident just because there is a greater tolerance of these situations and therefore a greater presentation of situations that once perhaps would have remained hidden to avoid a whole series of additional problems, or rather if it is actually a phenomenon that is growing.Certainly, however, in the centers of reference there is an increase in the presence of people with However, it really needs to be understood if it doesn’t depend on the fact that there is a greater possibility of access to evaluation than before”. To draw the picture to Adnkronos Salute is Gianni Russo, referent of pediatric endocrinology in the pediatrics operating unit of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan.
Is the increase significant? “If you look at the data published in the literature especially by the Dutch experts, they show that the curves that mark the trend of attendance in the centers over the years tend to rise extremely rapidly and also anticipate the age of access in such a way quite relevant. The reasons why it is increasing are quite difficult to define at the moment, it must be understood and investigated”.
There is no specific age in which discomfort in similar situations begins to be perceived. “Some develop this feeling in the prepubertal period, but are simply observed, helped. In the prepubertal phase there is no therapy. We tend to wait to see if starting pubertal development tends to increase the discomfort or resolve it”. If the discomfort persists, pubertal development stops. “And this is the first step: the subjects then do not remain in a neutral gender, based on their perception the next step is the possible start of a hormone replacement therapy in line with the gender in which one identifies and the last step may ultimately be the surgery. But not everyone has the same characteristics and not everyone can be pigeonholed into the same space,” he concludes.
