1. Testosterone Replacement Therapy
The main medical treatment for Klinefelter syndrome is hormone therapy with testosterone. Boys with Klinefelter syndrome fail to produce enough testosterone during puberty. Consequently, their bodies do not develop normally at this time. After Klinefelter syndrome is diagnosed, testosterone levels are tested at the onset of puberty. If they are low (not all boys with Klinefelter syndrome have low testosterone levels), the boy begins a regimen of a synthetic testosterone like Depo-testosterone. Depo-testosterone can be given as an injection or applied to the skin in a patch or as a gel. This therapy will continue indefinitely and may last throughout your child's lifetime. Testosterone therapy can help prevent development of breasts, increase facial and body hair growth and improve muscle development. Testosterone therapy often has the added positive side effect of boosting self-esteem, increasing concentration and providing more energy.
2. Psychotherapy for Behavioral and Emotional Problems
Klinefelter syndrome has both physiological and psychological effects that can cause behavioral and emotional problems. Physiologically, the brain develops differently in boys with Klinefelter syndrome. This can cause problems with aggressiveness and impulse control as well as shyness and immaturity. Once puberty begins, some of the psychological effects of Klinefelter syndrome may develop. These are often linked to low self-esteem from developing different physically than other boys. If your child has severe gynecomastia, small testicles or sparse body and facial hair, these psychological effects may be more pronounced. Psychotherapy is recommended for behavioral and emotional problems resulting from Klinefelter syndrome, regardless of whether they are primary or secondary to the condition. In some cases, therapy may be ongoing throughout the teen years and into adulthood.
3. Fertility Treatment
After receiving a Klinefelter syndrome diagnosis, most parents are dismayed by the prognosis for future fertility. In the past, all men with Klinefelter syndrome were thought to be completely sterile. In recent years, however, there have been some fertility treatments devised that make it possible for some men with Klinefelter syndrome to father children. Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is the main procedure used to restore fertility to men with Klinefelter syndrome. This procedure involves surgically opening the testicles to find and retrieve sperm. The sperm are then used in in vitro fertilization to produce pregnancies. It should be noted that the vast majority of the children produced from these procedures have normal chromosomes and do not have Klinefelter syndrome.
