Newswise — (Seattle — Oct. 4, 2016) Seattle Children’s Hospital has opened a new Gender Clinic for children, adolescents and young adults up to 21 years of age. The multidisciplinary clinic, which opened Oct. 4, 2016, offers services to youth whose gender does not match their sex at birth or who do not identify with traditional definitions of male or female.
“Seattle Children’s is committed to providing the highest level of care to all children in our community, and we’re delighted to offer a clinic that meets the medical, social and behavioral needs of patients who are transgender or gender non-conforming,” said Dr. David Breland, medical director of the Gender Clinic. “After gathering input from the community, we found that these patients often struggle to navigate healthcare. The new clinic will provide coordinated, evidence-based care in a supportive environment.”
The clinic is one of only five in the nation to offer gender care to youth. It brings together clinicians from endocrinology, behavioral medicine and adolescent medicine who are skilled in caring for children and young people with transgender mental health and medical needs.
The clinic, which is partially funded by a grant from The Pacific Hospital Preservation & Development Authority, will offer services including mental health support and readiness discussions, pubertal blockers and cross-sex hormones. If a patient is interested in surgical treatment, clinicians will refer to external providers when appropriate. Seattle Children’s is not offering surgery as part of its Gender Clinic services.
For more information about the clinic or to make an appointment, visit the Gender Clinic website or call 206-987-2028. Media with questions about the clinic should contact the press team by emailing [email protected] or calling 206-987-4500.
About Seattle Children’sSeattle Children’s Hospital, Foundation and Research Institute together deliver superior patient care, advance new discoveries and treatments through pediatric research, and raise funds to create better futures for patients. Consistently ranked as one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Seattle Children’s Hospital specializes in meeting the unique physical, emotional and developmental needs of children from infancy through young adulthood. Through the collaboration of physicians in nearly 60 pediatric subspecialties, Seattle Children’s Hospital provides inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic, surgical, rehabilitative, behavioral, and emergency and outreach services to families from around the world.
Located in downtown Seattle’s biotech corridor, Seattle Children’s Research Institute is pushing the boundaries of medical research to find cures for pediatric diseases and improve outcomes for children all over the world. Internationally recognized investigators and staff at the research institute are advancing new discoveries in cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention, bioethics and much more.
Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation and Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild Association work together to gather community support and raise funds for uncompensated care, clinical care and research. The foundation receives nearly 80,000 gifts each year, from lemonade stand proceeds to corporate sponsorships. Seattle Children’s Hospital Guild Association is the largest all-volunteer fundraising network for any hospital in the country, serving as the umbrella organization for 450 groups of people who turn an activity they love into a fundraiser. Support from the foundation and guild association makes it possible for Seattle Children’s care and research teams to improve the health and well-being of all kids.
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