Gender Confusion

[Lydiasmum]

Has anyone experienced behaviour related to gender confusion in their young PANDAS child? My DD6 wanted to be a boy from age 3-4.5 (before I knew about PANDAS), but it disappeared when other behaviours improved with the antibiotics - she even went all girlie for 12 months. Now school uniform issues (wants to wear what the boys wear) have crept back in mildly, together with some clinginess, noise sensitivity and odd body movements. I believe she is having a mild flare at the moment. School are testing her for Asperger's which I personally don't mind if it gets her the help she needs. I have read that Asperger's and gender dysphoria are common co-morbids. I hope for her sake and everyone's this won't turn out to be more than a phase...

Edited September 15, 2014 by lydiasmum

[SSS]

Yes, my dd would say the same thing at that age (while she had untreated PANDAS/PANS)

It went with major OCD issues around clothes (I thought it was sensory).

I wondered at the time if she was just so uncomfortable in her body w/ anxiety, etc.

that she thought being a boy must somehow be easier. And no, I wasn't forcing frilly lace dresses.

Not wearing the exact same thing over and over and over again, just a different clean shirt, was what I was going for- we had very wicked OCD on clothing.

 

Now, at age 9/ 4th grade and in a new flare, and while off treatment last year in 3rd grade, she friends the troubled ADD boys. I don't know how else to put it. Public school has flared her after a wonderful summer back on treatment, and she is OCD about a boy in her class (they are friends) and he has his own set of issues- so we are switching to homeschool online while continuing treatment.

 

This new flare also has new odd body movements.

Is your daughter on antibiotics? Mine is again (for the last 6 months) but still flared/ regressed with PANS.

So we are pulling her out of the public school.

She was also bullied a few times last year, this unhealthy relationship with this boy, the flare/ regression=

done.

And I believe I just claimed recently I'd never homeschool.

Ah, gotta love PANDAS/ PANS.

[qannie47]

Yes. My Pandas boy experienced the same thing as well from 3-5. Drove his father nuts. Although, I never attributed it to a flare. I just assumed that it was basic curiosity, and an expression of his creative side.

 

By age 7, this went away completely. Now he plays football and is all boy....