The Pediatrics study is one of the largest to look at the issue, although not all kids had started treatment and none had transgender surgery. Some doctors say that's why transgender medication or surgery shouldn't be offered until affected kids reach adulthood, but rigorous research on the numbers is lacking. Politicians seeking to outlaw or criminalize medical treatment for transgender youth have cited evidence suggesting many change children their minds or “retransition.” The study was published online in Pediatrics. It’s unknown whether similar results would be found among youngsters from less advantaged backgrounds or those who begin identifying as transgender as teenagers. On average, the kids began identifying as transgender at around age 6.
Most children in the study were from white, high-income families who supported their transitions. Five years later, at the study’s end, 94% were living as transgender and almost two-thirds were using either puberty-blocking medication or sex hormones to medically transition. The research involved 317 youngsters who were 3 to 12 years old when they were recruited to the study. Children who begin identifying as transgender at a young age tend to retain that identity at least for several years, a study published Wednesday suggests.
