Online support for gender non-conforming children

Online support groups for gender non-conforming teens can be extremely beneficial and supportive. Trans-youth expertJohanna Olson, MD explains how these networks bring relief to both parents and children.
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Online support for gender non-conforming children

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I'm always very impressed by the creative things that parents of gender non -conforming kids come up with. When they have children and they are may be in small cities or in small towns, this pops up for them. They find many many resources that exist online for example there is not a lot of medical information online but what they are, are few very solid and very reputable national groups such as Trans -Youth Family Allies, gender Spectrum. These are groups that work exclusively with families with gender non-conforming children. They have contact numbers where a human being answers the phone. They can answer these parents' questions, they can hook them up with a parent talk line. Try to find a provider in the area. From what we know about the past providers that have provided care for these children. But I think the most important things for parents if to love and support their children. That is the key to this going well. They really need to tell their child that whatever, whoever they want to be and whoever they are is okay with them and they are going to love and support them and they are going to do whatever they can to get the the care. And these parents do. The courage is unbelievable. These parents drive miles and miles they get on planes to go and see providers and many of them go to pediatricians and their pediatricians contact me. So that's really exciting, or they contact other providers who have big centers around the country. There is probably about 4 of us who have big centers around the country. And we work with pediatrics all the time so that they are comfortable providing what these kids need.

Online support groups for gender non-conforming teens can be extremely beneficial and supportive. Trans-youth expertJohanna Olson, MD explains how these networks bring relief to both parents and children.

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Johanna Olson, MD

Medical Director, Center for Transyouth Health and Development, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Johanna Olson, MD is a pediatrician in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Medical Director of the hospital’s Center for Transyouth Health and Development.  She specializes in the care of transgender youth, gender variant children, youth with HIV, and chronic pain. Board certified in Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Dr. Olson is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. She has appeared on ABC's 20/20, The Dr. Phil Show, CNN, Dateline NBC and The Doctors to educate audiences about the needs of transgender youth.

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