GENDER IDENTITY DISORDERS IN CHILDHOOD AN D ADOLESCENCE - TERMINOLOGYAND EPIDEMIOLOGY IN GERMANY

Background: Gender Identity Disorder (GID) in childhood (ICD 10: F64.2 ; DSM-IV: 302.60) may lead to peer rejection and social isolation. In rare casts it is a precursor of adult transsexualism. The number of ch ildren who during the last five years have asked for advise or were re ferred because of GID symptoms was assessed by means of an inquiry. Me thods: 324 questionnaires were sent out to all pediatricians, child ps ychologists, child psychiatrists and mental health counselling centers in Schleswig-Holstein, a federal state of Germany. Items covered occu rrence of different GID symptoms in prepubertal boys (< 12 yrs) or gir ls (< 11 yrs) and pubertal boys (> 12 yrs) or girls (> 11 yrs). This r eport is limited to pediatric responders. Results: 19 pediatricians re ported about referrals of 27 boys and 25 girls of prepubertal age, and 22 boys and 27 girls in puberty. Only a small number met ail criteria for full G-ID, Prepubertal boys outnumbered girls in this regard (16 : 6), while around puberty the number of girls and boys with full GID was balanced (7 : 8). During puberty, boys tended to be more often ref erred because of sexual confusion, while girls were referred because o f gender role confusion. Conclusion Pediatricians should be aware of G ID to provide children and adolescents with professional support not o nly in cases of full GID, but also in coping with sexual and/or gender role confusion.