IWK psychologist says transgender resources on P.E.I. are improving

Thanks to heightened awareness and training, an IWK psychologist says transgender resources on Prince Edward Island are improving.

Suzanne Zinck, part of a special team at the health care centre that deals with youth struggling with their gender, said there are a number of P.E.I. youth referred each year.

"The referral can come from the youth themselves, from a teacher, from a parent, from another health professional," she said.

Zinck said a health professional like a family doctor might reach out to the IWK for a number of reasons, but there is more training available now than there used to be, so they might not have to reach out at all.

"Many are taking advantage of programs offered through the Canadian Professionals Association of Transgender Health, and locally as well," she said.

The average age of the youth the IWK gets referrals for is 14, but Zinck said they have seen as young at four or six and as old as 18.

Increasing awareness

Zinck said the main reason referral rates are increasing is because of better awareness of the issue.

"People are aware that these are real phenomena and that if there's any distress, they can reach out. Many of the youth are only seen once because it's really a matter of helping the family understand where they're at as a group," she said.

"Other times the exposure of the issue is actually very positive because people can reach out to people in the community and their own health care providers in primary care and they don't feel they need the support of a specialized team."

For their team at the IWK, Zinck said consultations with transgender youth depends on why they're being referred in the first place.

For youth who are seeking support and understanding of whether there is gender dysphoria or variance is present in them, they will often first meet with a social worker and then a mental health professional. If they're coming from a more complex diagnostic picture, meaning they already have other mental or developmental health issues or are planning to get surgery, they will see a psychiatrist.

Endocrinology intervention depends on the youth, but Zinck said it is not as common as people may think.

Outside of the IWK team, Zinck said there are many resources nationally online. This includes a better understanding of the gender spectrum, online forums, books, websites and YouTube videos.

There are also a number of local inititiatives, such as The Youth Project in Halifax, but Zinck said for those who cannot travel far, it can be frustrating and inaccessible.

Local support

Despite sometimes being distant from resources, Zinck said there can be benefits for those who live in a more rural area like P.E.I.

"People know one another, and generally speaking in rural areas or smaller towns people try to take care of one another," she said.

"They may be more understanding of someone's journey."

The average waiting period to get in for initial assessment varies, but is usually about six months.

A medical professional may not always feel the need to send a patient to a team like the one at the IWK. Still, Zinck said they are always there for those who need their help.

"We do not tell people who they are or where they're at," she said.

"If a child is presenting with gender variant behaviours, what I mean by one visit is simply that often families only really need direction on how to support their child and let them explore their identity."

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