What Are the Causes of Early Puberty?
Early puberty is a concerning topic for many parents. Most parents do not understand how early puberty occurs. Parents need to understand how to help their son or daughter deal with early puberty, if it occurs.
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What is Early Puberty?
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Early puberty--also known as precocious puberty--is the onset of puberty at a younger age than average. This youngest age for girls is generally 8 and 9 for boys. However, early puberty most often occurs in girls. These signs of early puberty include breast development, hair growth under the arms and on the pubic areas, an increase in growth and the onset of the menstrual cycle.
What is Puberty?
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The beginning of sexual maturity is called puberty. During this process, children begin to change in many ways. They begin to grow taller and put on weight. They also begin hormonal and sexual changes. At this point, reproduction is now possible. The normal age of these changes is around 9 to 16 in girls and 13 to 15 in boys.
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Sex and Racial Differences
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Precocious puberty usually occurs in girls. When a boy experiences precocious puberty, it is typically related to an underlying disease. Current studies have also shown a racial variation in precocious puberty with black girls in the United States maturing faster than white girls, however the cause is not known.
Causes of Early Puberty
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The majority of cases of early puberty do not have a known cause. Sometimes the pituitary gland sends a signal to the ovaries or testicles to initiate hormone production too soon. Occasionally tests are run to find out about ovary or testicle abnormalities which could be a side effect of another underlying medical condition. Some of these conditions include:
• McCune-Albright Syndrome
• Spina bifida with hydrocephalus
• Gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty
Other, more common, causes for early puberty include obesity and environmental contamination.
What Should I Do?
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If you suspect your child is going through early puberty, take her to see her pediatrician. When you get to the appointment, talk to your child's doctor about your concerns. Ask the doctor if treatment is necessary. If treatment is required, you can discuss your options, which include Nafarelin and leuprolide.
What About the Children?
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For a child, being different makes fitting in that much more difficult. When a child begins to develop, it is a scary and unknown process. But when a child begins to develop early and before their peers, it is terrifying. As a parent, you can be your child's support system. Remind them that nothing is wrong with them and that everything that is happening to their body is normal. Educate your child on the process and the fact that growing up happens to everyone at one time or another and that this time might be earlier or later for others. Let your child know they can come to you with any questions or concerns.
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