Puberty can be a challenging time for adolescents, but if puberty starts early, it can also signal a potentially harmful medical condition. Early puberty, or precocious puberty, is a rare condition that leads to changes in the body before they should be happening.
April Graham, DO, a pediatric physician with Atlantic Health System, shares more about this condition and how you can recognize the signs in your child.
What is early puberty?
Puberty is triggered by hormones called gonadotropins that are released by the brain and that lead to sexual development and maturation. Early puberty is a condition where these hormones are released early and children start experiencing these changes sooner than normal. While normal puberty starts between ages 8-13 for girls and 9-14 for boys, children experiencing early puberty start seeing these signs before age 8 (girls) or 9 (boys), which can lead to physical, emotional, mental and social problems.
“Children with precocious puberty often experience social and emotional challenges as they are not prepared for the physical and mental changes of puberty,” says Dr. Graham. “Many feel self-conscious or have a negative self-image related to feeling different from their peers.”
Precocious puberty affects less than 1% of children and is most common in girls. Most of the time there is no known physical cause for early puberty.
Signs of early puberty
Signs of early puberty are the same as those of normal puberty except that they occur in younger children. These signs include acne, body odor and growth spurts. Girls may also experience breast development, menstruation, and growth of pubic and underarm hair. Boys may see growth of facial, underarm and pubic hair, enlargement of the penis and testes, and deepening of the voice.
Premature puberty is diagnosed with a thorough medical history and a physical exam, including a review of vitals like height and weight and height velocity (how fast your child is growing). During the physical exam, your child’s doctor will use a classification system called the Tanner Stage to track your child’s puberty progression. They may also take X-rays to see if your child’s bones are maturing earlier than normal and run blood work to measure hormone levels.
How is early puberty treated?
Your child’s pediatrician may refer your child to a pediatric endocrinologist to learn more about their condition and recommend treatment. Treatment options for early puberty vary, but your child’s physician may recommend medication to stave off puberty until a later age. They may also advise eliminating exposure to chemicals that disrupt your child’s endocrine system like phthalates, BPA and parabens. If your child’s condition is caused by a tumor, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove it.
Keeping an open dialogue with your child’s care team is important for managing this condition.
“If you notice signs of early puberty in your child, schedule an appointment with their pediatrician,” says Dr. Graham. “Routine well visits are essential for early detection, and management of precocious puberty can have a significant impact on your child’s outcome.”
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