In most cases, delayed puberty is nothing to worry about. Every kid is different and some just start sexual development later than others. But in some cases, there is a medical cause for the delay that requires treatment.
But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. There's not usually any need to worry if puberty does not start around the average age, but it's a good idea to speak to your GP for advice if it starts before 8 or has not started by around 14.
Kids with delayed puberty should definitely be evaluated by a specialist, but most often, it's nothing to worry about. Even if your child has an underlying medical condition, puberty can almost always be started through hormone therapy.
Most teens with delayed puberty are just developing a bit later than average and will catch up. If doctors do find a problem, they might send a teen to see a pediatric endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in treating kids and teens who have growth problems, or to another specialist for further tests or treatment.
Because genetic females tend to enter puberty slightly earlier than genetic males, the late blooming boys are often the last of the last to physically mature. So late blooming can be a case of nothing's-wrong-but-everything-feels-wrong.
Puberty is usually a question of when, not if. Most cases of delayed puberty are not an actual health problem. Some kids just develop later than others - what we call a “late bloomer.” This has a medical name: “Constitutional Delay of Growth and Puberty.” In many of these cases, late puberty runs in the family.
It's not uncommon for girls and boys to develop as late as 13, 14 or 15. But if your child hasn't yet shown the signs of puberty by age 14 for girls or 15 for boys, delayed puberty could be to blame. Keep in mind that delayed puberty is nothing to be overly concerned about. Everyone develops differently.
How common is delayed puberty? Delayed puberty is roughly estimated to occur in about 3% of children, with 90% of these cases being caused by a constitutional delay. Constitutional delay is 10 times more common in boys than girls.
The term “late bloomer” refers to a child who goes through puberty later than their peers. Constitutional growth delay, the medical term for this condition, runs in families. Late bloomers will catch up on their growth and have standard adult height, although it may take a little extra time and patience.
Most boys with constitutional delayed puberty are short compared with their peers, but because they have a delayed growth spurt, they usually catch up to other boys by the time they are 18 and have heights in the normal range as adults.
The onset of adolescence, generally between 12 and 14, is the hardest age for a teenage girl. The hormones of puberty cause her to feel her emotions more intensely but she has not yet developed the reasoning skills to know how to handle them.
Most girls start their sexual development between the ages of 8 and 13 (the average age is 12), and have a growth spurt between the ages of 10 and 14. Most boys start developing sexually between the ages of 10 and 13, and continue to grow until they're around 16.
In most cases, delayed puberty is simply a matter of growth changes beginning later than usual, sometimes called late bloomer. Once puberty begins, it progresses normally. This is called constitutional delayed puberty, and it runs in families. This is the most common cause of late maturity.
African-American and Hispanic girls tend to reach puberty earlier than their white counterparts, research shows. Editor's Note: Former CNN correspondent Pat Etheridge is a journalist specializing in children's health and family issues.
The data from the studies are clear: Late bloomers are rare; skill deficits are almost always what prevent children from blooming as readers.
Stage 5 is the final phase. Development typically ends in this stage. Girls reach physical adulthood. Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button.
Puberty that happens late is called delayed puberty. This means a child's physical signs of sexual maturity don't appear by age 12 in girls or age 14 in boys. This includes breast or testicle growth, pubic hair, and voice changes. These are known as secondary sexual characteristics.
Typically, boys will tend to grow an average of 3 inches, or 7.6cm, each year during puberty. In general, a boy's age during puberty will not affect his final height, but it will affect when his height growth begins and stops.
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