Born Lily, 13-year-old Leo Waddell, is one of the youngest children in the UK to be prescribed hormone therapy to help him transition into a male body.

Having lived as a boy since the age of five, Leo, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, changed his name by deed poll at the age of 11. He is now the star of a new documentary about the struggles he has faced living as a transgender child. 

With the aim of educating children about transgender people, 'I am Leo' is being shown on the BBC's children's channel CBBC at 6pm this evening as part of Anti Bullying Week.

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Born Lily (left), 13-year-old Leo (right, pictured today) has lived as a boy since the age of five and is now receiving hormone treatment

Leo, pictured with his mother Hayley, changed his name by deed poll at the age of 11 and is now the star of a new documentary about the struggles he has had living as a transgender child

Leo receives hormone blockers which prevent him from entering puberty, which would result in him growing breasts and starting menstruation.

Treated at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, a specialist clinic for young people with gender identity issues, Leo is one of very few people under the age of 18 who are receiving hormone treatment for gender dysphoria.

Those suffering from gender dysphoria experience great distress because their biological sex and gender identity are at odds. 

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Often also known as gender identity disorder (GID) it leaves people with the sense they are 'trapped' in the wrong body. 

Leo also receives counselling and therapy at the clinic on what it means to be transgender.

While many people with GID seek treatment to help them transition to the sex they identify with, Leo and his mother Hayley, 48, were forced to fight for him to have the hormone therapy due to his young age.

Appearing on ITV's This Morning in September last year, Leo said he would 'probably kill myself' if he had to live as a girl. 

However, despite these intense feelings Leo was refused treatment by his GP as it's effects when started before puberty are as yet unknown and some practitioners feel those under 18 do not have the mental maturity to make such a decision.

Last year Leo and his mother appeared on This Morning to champion his fight to receive hormone treatment 

Hayley, a hairdresser who also has three daughters, rejected the idea that Leo shouldn't have the hormone blockers in case he later regrets his decision.

She said on This Morning: 'I think many people think that, maybe I did for some time in the early days but that isn't going to happen, I know that 100 per cent, Leo needs the blockers.'

Although Leo now has been prescribed the hormone blockers he has still struggled to be accepted as a male and speaks in the documentary about the problems he has faced, particularly at primary school.

Appearing alongside him in 'I am Leo' is Stephen Whittle OBE, who transitioned to live as a man years ago and has spent his life fighting for transgender rights, and 20 year-old Natalie, who was born male but lives as a young woman.

What is hormone therapy?  

According to the Department of Health's guide to hormone therapy...

• The aim of hormone therapy is to help people feel more at ease with themselves, both physically and psychologically.
• The hormones oestrogen and testosterone can be prescribed.
• In addition, to testosterone or oestrogen, hormone 'blockers' may be taken in the early stages of treatment to interrupt the body's hormone production, so that the prescribed hormones can be more effective.
• Hormone therapy is usually the first treatment that trans people want to have and, for some, it may be the only treatment they need.
• Hormone treatment for trans people at reasonable dosages is remarkably safe. The hormone products prescribed are very like the natural hormones produced by the body. Most people taking hormones do not experience any major problems.
• However, all medication has potential side effects, and some people may have serious adverse reactions to it.
• The most serious risks when taking oestrogens are: thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, pulmonary embolism (block in a blood vessel in the lungs), altered liver function.
• The most serious risk when taking testosterone is: polycythaemia (over-production of red blood cells).
• The risk of developing complications from hormone treatment is relatively small and is less common if your general health is good.

To read the rest of the guide, click here

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