A Case Series of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Patients in a Pediatric Functional Neurologic Disorder Clinic 2023 Wilkinson-Smith et al

Youth who identify as transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) are at increased risk of anxiety, depression, bullying, and loss of social and family support. These factors may increase the risk of developing functional neurologic disorder (FND). If the risk of FND is increased in TGNC youth, then identifying which youth are at increased risk, and the particular times when risk is increased, may allow for earlier diagnosis and treatment of FND. Better awareness of functional symptoms among clinicians who care for TGNC youth may prevent disruption of gender-affirming care if FND symptoms emerge. Patients diagnosed with FND who are TGNC may require different forms of intervention than other youth with FND. We present 4 cases from our multidisciplinary pediatric FND program of TGNC youth who developed FND. In all individuals for whom follow-up information was available, access to gender-affirming health care was associated with marked improvement or resolution of FND symptoms.

Paywall, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08830738231200520

 

Unfortunately, they may also be at increased risk of sustaining attacks. Which can also cause plenty FND-like symptoms.

 

I don’t think FND is a process that exists outside of the researcher mind certainly not in the bodies and minds of their patients. So I don’t think Trans and gender non-conforming kids can be at risk from it anymore more than anyone else can.

I do think it’s quite possible to stress a person so much to subject them to prejudice and hostility and abuse for a sustained period not allowing them escape or respite. That this likely would or could put a person at higher than otherwise risk, of all manner of biological disease processes as well as emotional and psychological harms, accidental and other injuries and preventable
death.

I do think nearly all of us probably have experienced some temporary sensory experiences direct mind to body, think of a lemon let your mouth water, or less pleasantly think of an important interview let your stomach clench, or think of your worst break up feel a pressure in your breast bone. For anyone who has a bad physical injury that sometimes aches, years later, thinking of the actual injury event will make it hurt a little extra. But all these sensations are just part of being alive. They are not a “neurological condition” in the sense of illness or disease or dysfunction.

The FND researchers have taken a fact of life that applies to almost if not exactly everyone alive and weaponised it.

@Hutan is right this framework for looking at neurological symptoms in this child population is obviously a very dangerous prospect.

@livinglighter you’re sadly not mistaken there is a higher chance of these children experiencing violence than some others.

The harm under guise of help
is going strong.

 

They certainly increase the risk of being labeled as such. That is correct. Especially given how bigotry and prejudice intersect, and those are issues featuring both by the boatload. But that is not the same thing at all, what with there being no test for it, and applying a diagnostic process that consists basically of "no better explanation".

Which is all very different from ME, which has actual criteria. The idea behind the conversion disorder is that it can create any and all symptoms, as long as they're felt that they're not explained by a known diagnosis. Felt, being the operating principle here. Which is a logical fallacy, the god of the gaps, also basically absurd. And when in doubt, they can simply apply the "overlay" BS. It's simply not a serious process.