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Decisions about how best to clinically care for young children born with Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) can be challenging because some decisions are irreversible, have lasting physical and mental health effects, and are frequently made before the affected person is able to participate in decision-making. This multi-stage study involved (1) the development of a web-based decision support tool (DST) for parents of infants or young children and the clinicians caring for them; (2) the assessment of communications and decision making between DSD specialists and parents both before and after introduction of the DST; and (3) interviews with a broad range of stakeholders regarding optimizing the DST and integrating it into usual care. Experience over the course of the 3 stages of this research suggests the need for further refinement of the DST to increase acceptability to all stakeholder groups, the necessity to address misperceptions by providers that they are already accomplishing all aspects of SDM in regular care without a DST and misunderstandings by parents that decisions are unnecessary because only a single option is apparent, and to better incorporate the tool into regular clinic workflow.

Turner syndrome (TS) affects 50 per 100 000 females. TS affects multiple organs through all stages of life, necessitating multidisciplinary care. This guideline extends previous ones and includes important new advances, within diagnostics and genetics, estrogen treatment, fertility, co-morbidities, and neurocognition and neuropsychology. Exploratory meetings were held in 2021 in Europe and United States culminating with a consensus meeting in Aarhus, Denmark in June 2023. Prior to this, eight groups addressed important areas in TS care: (1) diagnosis and genetics, (2) growth, (3) puberty and estrogen treatment, (4) cardiovascular health, (5) transition, (6) fertility assessment, monitoring, and counselling, (7) health surveillance for comorbidities throughout the lifespan, and (8) neurocognition and its implications for mental health and well-being. Each group produced proposals for the present guidelines, which were meticulously discussed by the entire group. Four pertinent questions were submitted for formal GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) evaluation with systematic review of the literature. The guidelines project was initiated by the European Society for Endocrinology and the Pediatric Endocrine Society, in collaboration with members from the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions, the Society for Endocrinology, and the European Society of Cardiology, Japanese Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, Australia and New Zealand Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Latin American Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, Arab Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, and the Asia Pacific Pediatric Endocrine Society. Advocacy groups appointed representatives for pre-meeting discussions and the consensus meeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turner syndrome, a congenital condition that affects ∼1/2,500 births, results from absence or structural alteration of the second sex chromosome. There has been substantial effort by numerous clinical and genetic research groups to delineate the clinical, pathophysiological, cytogenetic, and molecular features of this multisystem condition. Questions about the molecular-genetic and biological basis of many of the clinical features remain unanswered, and health care providers and families seek improved care for affected individuals. The inaugural "Turner Resource Network (TRN) Symposium" brought together individuals with Turner syndrome and their families, advocacy group leaders, clinicians, basic scientists, physician-scientists, trainees and other stakeholders with interest in the well-being of individuals and families living with the condition. The goal of this symposium was to establish a structure for a TRN that will be a patient-powered organization involving those living with Turner syndrome, their families, clinicians, and scientists. The TRN will identify basic and clinical questions that might be answered with registries, clinical trials, or through bench research to promote and advocate for best practices and improved care for individuals with Turner syndrome. The symposium concluded with the consensus that two rationales justify the creation of a TRN: inadequate attention has been paid to the health and psychosocial issues facing girls and women who live with Turner syndrome; investigations into the susceptibility to common disorders such as cardiovascular or autoimmune diseases caused by sex chromosome deficiencies will increase understanding of disease susceptibilities in the general population.

Mammalian sex determination is the unique process whereby a single organ, the bipotential gonad, undergoes a developmental switch that promotes its differentiation into either a testis or an ovary. Disruptions of this complex genetic process during human development can manifest as disorders of sex development (DSDs). Sex development can be divided into two distinct processes: sex determination, in which the bipotential gonads form either testes or ovaries, and sex differentiation, in which the fully formed testes or ovaries secrete local and hormonal factors to drive differentiation of internal and external genitals, as well as extragonadal tissues such as the brain. DSDs can arise from a number of genetic lesions, which manifest as a spectrum of gonadal (gonadal dysgenesis to ovotestis) and genital (mild hypospadias or clitoromegaly to ambiguous genitalia) phenotypes. The physical attributes and medical implications associated with DSDs confront families of affected newborns with decisions, such as gender of rearing or genital surgery, and additional concerns, such as uncertainty over the child's psychosexual development and personal wishes later in life. In this Review, we discuss the underlying genetics of human sex determination and focus on emerging data, genetic classification of DSDs and other considerations that surround gender development and identity in individuals with DSDs.

Abstract Patients with rare and complex diseases such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) often receive fragmented and inadequate care unless efforts are coordinated among providers. Translating the concepts of the medical home and comprehensive health care for individuals with CAH offers many benefits for the affected individuals and their families. This manuscript represents the recommendations of a 1.5 day meeting held in September 2009 to discuss the ideal goals for comprehensive care centers for newborns, infants, children, adolescents, and adults with CAH. Participants included pediatric endocrinologists, internal medicine and reproductive endocrinologists, pediatric urologists, pediatric surgeons, psychologists, and pediatric endocrine nurse educators. One unique aspect of this meeting was the active participation of individuals personally affected by CAH as patients or parents of patients. Representatives of Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA), New York-Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Genetics and Newborn Screening Services (NYMAC), and National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center (NNSGRC) also participated. Thus, this document should serve as a "roadmap" for the development phases of comprehensive care centers (CCC) for individuals and families affected by CAH.

Introduction: People with differences of sex development (DSD) and their families need education about these conditions while receiving emotional and peer support to participate in shared decision-making, reduce social isolation, and optimize physical and psychosocial outcomes. Barriers to education and support include limited knowledge and awareness by healthcare providers, tension among patient and medical communities, varied quality of educational resources, and the sensitive nature of DSD. We aimed to create an electronic repository of vetted quality online resources about DSD. Methods: The electronic resource repository (e-RR) was a collaboration between affected individuals and advocates and healthcare providers in the DSD-Translational Research Network (DSD-TRN), an NIH-supported consortium of US teams committed to standardizing and optimizing care in DSD. The e-RR development and ongoing growth involved: (1) identification of resources by the project team (3 advocates and 1 physician), (2) evaluation and feedback by DSD-TRN clinical teams, (3) creation of the e-RR, and (4) review and revision. Twitter-like descriptions accompanied each entry; resources were categorized by target age, audience, and condition. Results: Thirty-seven web-based educational, peer and advocacy support, and clinician-oriented resources were reviewed. Eight of 10 DSD-TRN teams responded to a survey regarding resource inclusion. Awareness of individual resources varied widely. Consensus was achieved when opinions differed; 30 resources were included. The e-RR is available online and as a downloadable booklet at http://www.accordalliance.org/resource-guide/. Conclusion: The e-RR increases awareness of and access to vetted educational and support resources for those with DSD and healthcare providers. It represents important collaboration between advocates and providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]