Gender Development Program

Gender development services at Lurie Children's are outpatient services aimed at supporting the physical, mental and social health of patients and their families as youth progress through gender identity development. As specialists in pediatric and adolescent gender development, we recognize that when it comes to providing effective care, each patient and family has unique needs. Therefore, our goal is to keep our families informed of their treatment options, supporting them with medical and behavioral health care along the way.

Patients come to our gender identity clinic to receive high-quality, family-centered care. New patients may begin care with us up to age 22. Patients may continue services in our programs until their 25^th birthday. 

Our patients generally fall within one or more of the following groups:

• Gender expansive or gender non-conforming children: Children and adolescents who exhibit behavior that is not typical of their assigned birth sex.
• Gender-questioning youth: Children and adolescents who are questioning their gender identities (e.g., “I was born a girl, but I wonder if I’m really a boy?”).
• Transgender and gender-fluid youth: Children and adolescents who identify as a gender different from their assigned birth sex (e.g., “I was born a girl, but I am really a boy.”).