Ambiguous Genitalia
While an infant doesn’t choose to be born with ambiguous genitalia, there is a long road of mental, emotional and medical recovery ahead for the infant, family and the assigned medical teams involved. Ambiguous genitalia is not a disease but a rare condition that is considered a sexual development disorder that is diagnosed during pregnancy, at birth or shortly after birth. Globally this disorder happens in about 1 in 4500 births or each year or 1.7% of the population (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). As the child grows he will have long term affects physically, physiologically and emotionally.
Description and Causes The infant, depending on the sex, will first have signs of the disorder during pregnancy …show more content…
Two of the tests the child will undergo once the child is born are to determine the sex and also to rule out that the child does not have congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which is a rare genetic disorder and classified as a medical emergency (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). Once that test has been established and the child has been identified as male or female, the child will go into surgery to try and preserve normal sexual functioning and also to create more natural looking genitals. Results of the surgery are often satisfying, but repeated surgeries may be needed later. Studies show that about half the children born with this disorder will wind up with sexually sensitive tissue that may wither or die (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). With this being said, as the child continues to grow to an adulthood he might have psychological problems and his chances to encounter bullying are now doubled.
In dealing with this disorder, the child should see psychologist at a young age to try and get metal help before the child continues to grow to a young adult, as he may have many unanswered questions. Studies have shown that many adults that that have ambiguous genitalia suffer from depression or intense anger due to the sensation normal genitalia would have. They are more likely to experience 3 times more depression and related disorders in comparison to a person that has not had to deal with this
While an infant doesn’t choose to be born with ambiguous genitalia, there is a long road of mental, emotional and medical recovery ahead for the infant, family and the assigned medical teams involved. Ambiguous genitalia is not a disease but a rare condition that is considered a sexual development disorder that is diagnosed during pregnancy, at birth or shortly after birth. Globally this disorder happens in about 1 in 4500 births or each year or 1.7% of the population (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). As the child grows he will have long term affects physically, physiologically and emotionally.
Description and Causes The infant, depending on the sex, will first have signs of the disorder during pregnancy …show more content…
Two of the tests the child will undergo once the child is born are to determine the sex and also to rule out that the child does not have congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which is a rare genetic disorder and classified as a medical emergency (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). Once that test has been established and the child has been identified as male or female, the child will go into surgery to try and preserve normal sexual functioning and also to create more natural looking genitals. Results of the surgery are often satisfying, but repeated surgeries may be needed later. Studies show that about half the children born with this disorder will wind up with sexually sensitive tissue that may wither or die (15 Notable Ambiguous Genitalia Statistics, 2014). With this being said, as the child continues to grow to an adulthood he might have psychological problems and his chances to encounter bullying are now doubled.
In dealing with this disorder, the child should see psychologist at a young age to try and get metal help before the child continues to grow to a young adult, as he may have many unanswered questions. Studies have shown that many adults that that have ambiguous genitalia suffer from depression or intense anger due to the sensation normal genitalia would have. They are more likely to experience 3 times more depression and related disorders in comparison to a person that has not had to deal with this