From an early age Patrick Mitchell knew he was different to other boys. He felt more like a girl and he wanted to be one.

Sunday's 60 Minutes story was about a journey of self-discovery which has been marred by misdiagnoses, confusion and doubt.

"There's no doubt that questioning one's own gender is a real issue for some young people," says 60 Minutes reporter Ross Coulthart.

"But Patrick Mitchell's story shows how the experts who assess if a child is transgender can get it wrong sometimes," Coulthart said.

"As a result questions need to be asked about whether enough is being done by the experts who make these assessments, to determine whether a young person is genuinely identifying as transgender or, as happened in Patrick’s case, is just a teen who needed more time to figure it out.”

At 12, doctors diagnosed Patrick with gender dysphoria, a recognised medical condition where a person is born one sex, but identifies with another.

Patrick was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at 12. (60 Minutes)

"I felt inside that I was a girl," he told Coulthart.

"I didn’t feel physically that I was a girl, but I felt like I was on the right track to becoming a girl."

Allowed to take puberty blockers, Patrick began the full-time transition to life as a girl. However, growing taller by the day, he felt he was in a race against time and would become more masculine.

Concerned by her son's obvious depression and threats of self-harm, Patrick's mother Ali took matters into her own hands and allowed Patrick to take her own oestrogen medication from age 13.

Matters were further complicated earlier this year when Patrick, now 14, changed his mind about his gender.

Patrick and his mother are now speaking out about the dangers of rushing to a decision. (60 Minutes)

Not allowed to take puberty blockers, his mother gave him her own oestrogen medication. (60 Minutes)

"I just realised that I could be happy without completely changing who I am," he tells Coulthart.

But unfortunately for Patrick, who had been taking the oestrogen medication for a year, there were permanent changes to his body.

X-rays showed his bones are fused now, as a result of the female hormones that he took.

"He's also grown female breasts. He will have to have breast reduction surgery so that he can now lead a normal life as a young man," Coulthart said.

Patrick and Ali have decided to tell their story to highlight the risks associated with making fast judgements on such pivotal and personal issue. They want to warn other parents about what can go wrong when doctors misdiagnose a child as transgender.

"The agony Patrick and his mum have been through is incalculable, inestimable," Coulthart said.

"No one wants to prolong their suffering or embarrass them for any mistakes that have been made along the way. The reality is though that, like it or not, this story shows how experts can get it wrong."

Coulthart says the issue in Patrick's case was not whether children or young people identifying as transgender was real, but that, "The medical professionals making these diagnoses need to be very, very sure of what they're doing before the child starts taking the drugs because the drugs cause their bodies to undergo permanent changes."

Patrick Mitchell changed his mind about his gender transition at 14. (60 Minutes)

He warns, "There’s not a definitive objective scientific test you can do to determine what gender that child really feels they are. It’s always going to be the subjective opinion of a medical professional and that’s the where the problem arose for Patrick.”

In recent years there has been a 360% increase in Australian teenagers applying to start hormone replacement treatment. Patrick's story shows the risks when a diagnosis goes wrong and it explains why the experts discourage young people from taking hormones without expert approval.

"There's a growing body of concern that kids are rushing to think their identity problems are always a gender issue, rather than taking into account the turbulence of adolescence," Coulthart said.

"Whether people like it or not, this boy made a mistake and we can’t ignore that. Mistakes happen, and he ought not have been able to make the transition without having further medical and psychological checks."

Senior paediatrician Professor John Whitehall, from Western Sydney University, told 60 Minutes he believes young adolescents who identify as the opposite gender should be given more time to think about their situations before rushing into major, life-changing, decisions.

He does admit genuine cases of gender dysphoria requiring transition are rare.

Patrick and Ali Mitchell agree young people need the time to figure it out. They also argue there’s a need for children suffering gender dysphoria to be given access to puberty blockers far earlier than is currently allowed. If this was the case, they say it would give children more time to determine their gender before the onset of puberty.

Ahead of Sunday's report, Ross Coulthart applauded both Patrick and Ali for their bravery and openness in sharing their experience of this very controversial issue.

"I thought Patrick was breath-taking in his candour and honesty," says Coulthart.

"This is not an easy issue, it's a hot-button issue. This story should not detract from the fact that our society acknowledges transgender identities. We just have to acknowledge that sometimes, the experts are getting it wrong."

For more on 60 Minutes, visit: https://www.9now.com.au/60-minutes/2017/extras