Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered youth
Disease Information
In-Depth
Clinicians have a responsibility to offer a safe, expert environment in which LGBT youth can get support, receive excellent care and learn how to protect against health risks.
Mark Schuster, MD, PhD
Research indicates that the social stigma that surrounds lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens can lead to a variety of health risks, such as:
Studies show that nationwide, many clinicians don't know their patients' sexuality, in part because clinicians are not creating opportunities for teens to disclose it. As a result, many children may not be receiving vital health information, education and care specific to the needs of GLBT youth.
Boston Children's Hospital is committed to providing LGBT teens with high-quality, preventive care in a regular, private and confidential environment. We're a national leader in training adolescent providers to understand the issues of LGBT youth, and have been recognized by the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian Youth for our work with local youth.
The Children's Hospital AIDS Program (CHAP) is New England's largest clinic of its type, and has become an international leader in HIV and AIDS care. Clinical research pioneered by our team and others, as well as the success of anti-viral drugs, has transformed the disease into a manageable condition.
We are also the first major program in the United States that not only treats disorders of sexual differentiation, but also works with transgendered children and young adults.
Our Gender Management Service (GeMS) Clinic treats the medical and psychosocial issues of infants, children, adolescents and young adults with disorders of sexual differentiation (DSDs). Many of our patients face medical issues that may make it difficult to determine their sex and may interfere with sexual and reproductive function. We work closely with patients and their families to find the treatment that works best for each patient.
#1 ranked pediatric hospital in the nation. Learn more
Related conditions and treatments:
No place like home? One in four LGB teens are driven out
Tragic stories of teens being bullied and ostracized at school have been saturating media headlines. But while these tales are making news, there’s another story to be told: that of homosexual teens’ estrangement—even banishment—from their families. New reserach from Boston Children's Hospital looks into this troubling issue.
Clinical Services
