4 Steps to Follow When Starting Your Transgender Kid on Hormones

Strangers telling me I’m abusing my child because he takes hormones is one of the most hateful things anyone has ever said to me. Their suggested air-quotes around the word transgender simply demonstrates their ignorance.

Do people really think putting your kid on hormone therapy is as simple as requesting allergy pills from your family doctor?

If this is the case, these people are highly mistaken. Supporting your kid’s desire to start hormone therapy is not something any parent decides on a whim. There are measures put in place so transgender kids cannot do anything detrimental to their safety or well-being. These steps and procedures must be followed before any hormones are handed over.

Step 1 — Take Your Kid’s Lead

First and foremost, not every transgender person seeks hormone therapy. It’s a very personal decision that each individual needs to make for themselves. Hormone therapy was not something I sought out for my kid. I waited until he expressed interest before having a discussion regarding the possibility.

Allowing my teenager to start testosterone injections was not a decision I made quickly. There was a mountain of information to sort through and learn prior to deciding. No parent wants their kid to do something that might be harmful to their well-being or their future. That’s why it’s important to seek medical advice from specialists who are familiar with transgender folks’ care.

Step 2 — Talk to Your Primary Care Physician

Your family doctor should never be the provider who offers your transgender kid hormone therapy. It is not in their expertise. But they can direct you to the best hormone specialist — or endocrinologist — for your kid. For example, whether or not your child has gone through puberty yet will determine which specialist should be considered.

Your family’s primary care doctor will be able to recommend which endocrinologist best fits your kid’s needs. Oftentimes your family physician will recommend your kid see a gender therapist prior to — or simultaneously — consulting an endocrinologist.

It’s also very important to have all your transgender kid’s medical history documented and overseen by their primary care physician. The best medical care for your kid is based on all the prior care they have received. And the more accurate that history is, the easier it will be to find the proper health care providers for any future issues that may come up.

Step 3 — Your Kid’s Mental Health

Being transgender has its own hurdles and commonly associated mental health issues. Not every transgender person feels the need to see a therapist, but for my son, it was crucial for him to deal with his gender dysphoria. It was also required in order for him to seek hormone therapy with a specialized endocrinologist.

Before any reputable endocrinologist would even let us make an appointment, my son had to be established with a mental health care specialist such as a gender therapist for several months. He also had to submit a letter from that therapist stating his readiness for hormone therapy and physical transition.

Once my son’s gender therapist agreed he was ready and provided the mandatory letter, we made an appointment with an endocrinologist who specialized in transgender hormonal therapies.

Step 4 — Find the Right Endocrinologist

By the time my son wanted to start hormones — and was emotionally and mentally ready according to his gender therapist — he was a teenager who had already experienced puberty. Many transgender kids who have not yet hit puberty would find better care with a pediatric endocrinologist, but my son didn’t need such a specialist as that.

On the recommendation of my son’s gender therapist, our family physician referred us to a specific endocrinologist for an initial appointment. This specialist had several years' worth of experience with teenaged, young adult, and older transgender patients.

My son’s endocrinologist not only prescribes his hormone therapy, but she also requires bloodwork to be done every six months in order to make certain he continues taking the correct dosage. Because of possible health concerns that can arise while receiving hormone therapy, these blood tests help monitor for any changes or concerns.

My son has an excellent endocrinologist who is always willing to explain any aspect regarding my son’s care. Her thoroughness and attention to detail keep him safe and my mind free from worry.

Seeking out the proper specialists has been worth it because these experts know much more than I do regarding the medical concerns of transgender folks. These doctors have helped me consider my son’s mental, emotional, and physical health in all aspects of his medical well-being.

His primary care physician and his gender therapist are the two providers who have taken the lead in managing his care. Their cooperation is a big reason my son is a healthy and happy young man. If your transgender kid is interested in hormone therapy, professionals such as these are where you should start.

Allowing my transgender son to begin his physical transition with hormone therapy was not a simple, nor easy, choice for me to make. And it was certainly not child abuse.

Because I love my son and want the best for him in every aspect of his life, his safety was considered prior to every step we took toward starting testosterone injections. I relied heavily on the expert advice of licensed medical professionals to help guide me in a decision I am proud to have made.

Flash forward seven years and my transgender son lives every day as his true, authentic self. Testosterone injections are simply a minute detail of what that means for him. Ultimately, I support who he is because he is my son, I love him, and he is an amazing human being.

Every supportive parent of a transgender kid should do their own research and find their own collection of intelligent, licensed professionals experienced with transgender patients. Their guidance and expertise will be invaluable.

Zada Kent is co-founder of LGBTQueer-ies and proud parent to her transgender son.

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