Australian hospital offering gender affirming care to toddlers as young as three

Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital is providing “gender-affirming care” to children as young as three, in a way described by a Liberal senator as “incredibly worrying”.

Psychiatrists and specialist gender identity therapists will work with children aged three to seventeen, as long as they have a referral from a GP.

Treatments for young children who have not yet reached puberty are ‘focused on gender affirmation’ and ‘talking to the child and their family’, and ensuring that there is adequate support both at school and at home.

As children grow older and reach puberty, the Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service has a wider range of treatments available.

The first step, known as ‘phase 1’, is to introduce puberty blockers – a reversible step available for children in the early stages of puberty.

Later, around age 16, the clinic may move to “Phase 2,” which uses “gender-affirming hormones (estrogen or testosterone) to change the body to be more consistent with the teen’s affirmed gender.”

The final phase, the operation, is usually only undertaken in adulthood.

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler told Daily Mail Australia she was concerned about the idea of ​​a child’s gender being judged based – in part – on the toys they play with or the clothes they choose to wear.

“It is deeply concerning to see a health care provider promoting the ideology that two- and three-year-olds’ preferences in clothing, toys or games represent a ‘gender identity,'” she said.

‘Around the world, many doctors, psychiatrists, detransitioners (people who begin gender transition but later try to reverse the changes) and expert reports are sounding the alarm about the youth gender medicine industry.

“It is incredibly worrying that these red flags continue to be ignored in Australia and children are being put on a path to irreversible and potentially dangerous drugs and surgery.”

The hospital’s gender dysphoria spreadsheet states that children “begin expressing their gender identity at the age of two to three years.”

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler said she was concerned about the idea of ​​a child’s gender being judged based – in part – on the toys they play with or the clothes they choose to wear.

They do this through their preferences for clothing, toys and interests, but the hospital notes that “it is normal for children to experiment with gender roles” and that many “do not desire any form of transition.”

‘For others, living in their birth-assigned gender role is extremely distressing. In these cases, it is important that families discuss with their child or teen what they need to do to protect their physical and mental well-being, and consider seeking professional help.

‘For many transgender children and teenagers, the onset of puberty, with the development of secondary sex characteristics (e.g. breasts, voice change) that do not match their gender identity, is a particularly distressing time.’

Gender-affirming care is the act of unquestioningly recognizing and treating a patient within their perceived gender.

For young people, the key is ensuring that both school and home are safe, nurturing spaces and that both parents and children are informed about the best way to handle the situation.

Recently, psychiatrist Dr Andrew Amos said Australia’s rapidly expanding gender-affirming medical care is ‘unconscionable’.

‘The reality is that we simply don’t know how many children change their minds.

“This is especially harmful because the medical/surgical transition requires lifelong care, with potentially catastrophic consequences of the transition later in life.”

The hospital said it can be ‘difficult’ for parents to know when it is time to seek professional help, but that the usual warning sign is when a child begins to show ‘persistent anxiety about their gender’.

For children under the age of 16, a parent must attend the appointments with them.

Rachael Wong of Women’s Forum Australia warned her followers that “gender ideology is being forced on Australian children from every angle… from our education and healthcare systems to entertainment and ‘drag queen story time’ in libraries.”

Children under 16 years old need a parent to attend appointments with them (stock image)