Sex changing treatment for kids has started getting recognition lately. Although it is still in its diminutive stage, but its count is rising rapidly. Parents have started supporting this procedure to help the child get the gender of their preference. Doctors have come in support of such kids and parents and have shown their interests in facilitating them with the sex-change treatment.
Safe or Unsafe?
Some people believe that an irreversible treatment is not safe in child’s early years. However, there are doctors and specialists who render it safe for young children. These doctors assert that withholding the treatment would harm more than having it done early.
There are some clinics claiming that the medicines given as a part of the treatment can cause early maturation. Nonetheless, experts have asserted that the drugs given to children are approved for delaying puberty and have not caused any complications yet. Hence, they do not find it unsafe. Moreover, few people misinterpret this ‘gender identity disorder’ with homosexuality. They do not take it seriously and find it to be juvenile. They opine that almost every child pretends to be the opposite sex when young, but such kids are different, as they feel certain that they were born with the wrong bodies. In such cases, it is always better to get a proper consultation from the doctor to abate any further complications for the child.
Sex-treatment if done in earlier stage, can benefit kids considerably. Since, switching the gender could be less drastic with puberty being locked. It would help kids pass the opposite sex easily as the puberty process would become less intricate for them, provided that it is done by a proficient doctor. The treatment so far has been rendered safe for kids, considering the reduced number of surgeries required for a gender-change treatment.
Ethical or immoral?
Offering sex-treatment in kids younger than 18 years, raises ethical concerns. Kids most of the times, do not seem to understand whether they are just infatuated with the opposite gender or they seriously want to change their sex. Few people have an opinion that the motive of parents who opt for this treatment, need to be examined closely. Kids who are gay, parents find sex-treatment more feasible option than having a homosexual child.
There is no dearth of people who claim it to be immoral, but there are some who are in favor of it.The number of people who find this treatment ethical, is rising day by day. Doctors who support the treatment assert that if children who want to change their gender are not treated on time, they can resort to self-mutilation to try to change their anatomy. It could cause depression and in adverse cases it can even lead to suicidal attempts. Such problems tend to vanish, if kids are treated timely.
As a parent, it is not immoral to understand your child’s needs and apprehensions. In fact, it is an integral part of good parenting that you consider this problem in your kid and take him/her seriously. This treatment becomes ethical, if parents and pediatricians accept that such kids exist and deserve treatment. Research shows that 1 in 10,000 children have this condition of ‘gender identity disorder’. The health society now seems to be liberal towards this disorder and recommends the involvement of mental health experts along with the doctors who treat hormonal conditions. However, the society is still rigid about the age to be above 18 years to start the treatment.
Such kids live in a mental trauma where they cannot be explicit in expressing themselves. It hampers their normal mental and physical growth. So, it is best for them to be treated well on time to ensure their healthy growth.
