Puberty blockers side effects/ dangers

[WirSind]

I am hoping someone can help. It has been advised by the GP that my DS may be prescribed something to pause his puberty. He's 8 and very small anyway and is showing signs of puberty. As early puberty is associated with stunted adult height we have been referred to a consultant to look at preventing this.

It's really hard to find information about this outside of a trans context but I presume it's the same meds and some of the information is really quite frightening. The GP said it was like a pause button and when you stopped the meds he'd have a normal puberty just later but I am reading stuff that suggests this isn't correct.

Has anyone been through this? I have no idea what to do for the best.

How stressful op! Have they considered the effects on his puberty if they just allow nature to take its course? Is that an option? I know that's now what you want to consider aged 8

Bless you this sounds like a difficult decision have you been looking at research studies on the drugs ect?

Most GPs won't know the ins and outs well but you should get the information you need (and the opportunity to ask questions) at your endocrinology appointment. It's quite a specialist area, there are pros and cons and you need guidance from an expert.

Thank you for the responses - I have been trawling obsessively for studies on side effects and whether they are reversible.

Looks like there is some potential for long term bone density loss. He's already so skinny.

Honestly I am finding it quite hard to be rational about it all, I am completely traumatised by lots of medical involvement when he was a baby and failing to grow properly. Then he was discharged when he was 4 and he was doing so well recently - he'd caught up a bit with other children in his class but now it looks like that may have been part of the problem as it could be a puberty related growth spurt that shouldn't have happened.