This article was co-authored by Eric A. Samuels, PsyD. Eric A. Samuels, Psy.D. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Oakland, California. He received a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute in 2016 and is a member of the American Psychological Association and Gaylesta, the Psychotherapist Association for Gender and Sexual Diversity. Eric specializes in working with men, young adults, and people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. This article has been viewed 304,345 times.

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While you cannot determine if a child is transgender by simply looking at them, you can observe the child's behavior to see how they feel about gendered norms. For example, a child who is consistently drawn to toys, clothes, and friends of the opposite gender may eventually decide they are transgender. A transgender child may also become upset when pushed toward the wrong gender role. However, keep in mind that many children don't enjoy being pushed into any particular gender role. To know with certainty if a child is transgender, you should listen to how they describe themselves and their identity. If a child thinks they may be trans, consider helping them do a trial run where they get to try out a different name and explore their desired gender. For more advice from our co-author, like how to help your transgender child feel comfortable, scroll down!