Gender dysphoria in childhood and adolescence: a review of the approach, diagnosis and its persistence

Gender dysphoria in children and adolescents: A review of the approach, diagnosis and its persistance. This article describes quantitatively the casuistry of the Gender Identity Unit (Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal, Madrid) from 2009 to 2013. Furthermore the persistence of this diagnosis over time according to the data obtained in our unit is put forward and this data is compared with that of similar units. The sample consisted of 45 patients with an average age of 16 years old. Pubmed database was consulted to obtain results on the persistence of the diagnosis in similar units. Quantitative data on the psychological care given to these types of patients are presented and the variables related to the persistence and stability of the diagnosis over time are discussed, concluding differences between the results obtained in our unit and those revised on this aspect. Considering the demand of professional care in the unit, the care of minors is sufficiently important to need a specific and specialized approach. The opposing results regarding the diagnostic persistence, in comparison to other units emphasizes the need for further longitudinal research on the state of the symptoms in relation to gender dysphoria.