Urology
- Differences of Sex Development Care
- Voiding Improvement Clinic

Differences of Sex Development Care

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Differences of sex development (DSD) is a group of conditions that lead to atypical development of the internal or external sex organs. These developmental differences occur before birth.

A DSD diagnosis can be a complicated and confusing experience for children and parents. The Differences of Sex Development Service at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital works with families to provide comprehensive and compassionate care. Our team of experts represents multiple specialties collaborating to create personalized treatment plans for each patient.

All the DSD experts you need in one place

Our team-based approach brings together all the experts needed to diagnose and manage DSD conditions. Multiple specialists can see your child in a single visit, with imaging and laboratory testing often performed on the same day.

This team approach to care allows for easy collaboration between the experts your child needs and reduces the number of appointments required. The parents are considered a part of the child’s care team, which uses a shared decision-making model.

Depending on your child’s specific needs, our DSD care can include attention or consultation from experts in these areas of pediatric medicine:

Urology
Endocrinology
Psychology
Genetics and genetic counseling
Neonatology
Surgery
Radiology
Maternal and Fetal Medicine

As your child grows from infancy and into adolescence and adulthood, medical and social needs will change. Our team collaborates with patients throughout those transitions to provide supportive and comprehensive care over the long-term.

DSD-focused counseling and emotional support

A DSD diagnosis can be confusing and overwhelming for parents and patients. That’s why our team includes a child psychologist with experience in working with DSD patients and families.

Counseling and support are built into the care plan so that families are prepared to cope with the diagnoses, complexities, and unknown outcomes as early in the process as possible.