Premature pubarche, or the development of pubic hair before the age of 8 in girls or 9 in boys, is most commonly caused by premature adrenarche. Adrenarche is the maturation of the adrenal zona reticularis in both boys and girls, resulting in the development of pubic hair, axillary hair, and adult apocrine body odor.
These early physical changes are not caused by a disorder, and only a few children go on to develop actual precocious puberty. Early pubic hair development occurs because the adrenal gland increases the level of androgens it produces.
Hormonal basis
It is normal for production of these hormones to increase (something we call adrenarche) and for pubic hair to appear after age 8 in girls or 9 in boys. The reason why this increase occurs earlier in some children is not known.
Adrenarche refers to a maturational increase in the secretion of adrenal androgen precursors (AAPs) in mid-childhood, occurring typically at around 5-8 years of age.
A few children have pubic and armpit hair long before other signs of sexual growth. These changes in pattern usually don't mean the child has a problem, but it's a good idea to visit your doctor to find out for sure.
—Public hair developing before age 1 year is rare and to our knowledge, development of pubic hair before age 6 months has not been previously reported. We describe our experience with three infant girls who developed pubic hair within the first year of life. 1.
It's not uncommon for young children to show certain traits associated with puberty, including some pubic hair, underarm hair and the beginnings of breast development, said Dr. Paul Kaplowitz, who led the American Academy of Pediatrics report.
There are hormone changes starting at around five to six years in both sexes in a period known as adrenarche. Perhaps this has also contributed to the confusion. Adrenarche is the maturation of part of the adrenal glands where hormones similar to, but much weaker than, testosterone are made.
Adrenarche is a lot like puberty; it's characterized by changes in the body as your child enters her teen years. Premature adrenarche is when these changes begin early, before age 8 for girls and age 9 for boys. It's usually nothing serious, simply your child's body maturing in its own time.
Is this normal? A girl's period, also known as menstruation, begins about 2 to 2½ years after her first signs of puberty. Breast development is usually the first sign of puberty, but sometimes pubic hair comes first.
Causes of Early Puberty
These hormones tell the body to make sex hormones- testosterone in males and estrogen in females. For most children, early puberty starts for no known reason. It can run in families. Sometimes there is a problem in the brain, such as an injury, a tumor or an infection.
But if this is truly pubic hair, your baby may have a condition called premature adrenarche, which can trigger the growth of underarm and pubic hair. The condition is the result of a sex hormone surge, which isn't serious, but should be monitored by a pediatrician.
Children with early puberty are more at risk for low self-esteem, depression, and substance abuse. Your son or daughter may require counseling to help address the changes in their body and the effects of any treatments they receive.
Periods typically start when children are 11-14½ years old, but it can be earlier or later. Children need to know what's going to happen in their bodies before they get their first periods. For periods, children need pads, period-proof underpants, tampons or a menstrual cup, plus help to use them.
Unlike the physical changes that occur during puberty, adrenarche is primarily an emotional and psychological stage of development. It continues throughout puberty, with adrenal androgen levels progressively increasing until reaching maximal levels in young adulthood, around the age of 20 years.
The 5-year-old syndrome is one of the periods that parents should manage and follow with great care. During this period, parents need to be more attentive and careful than ever before with their children. Children who adopt an overly vicious and angry attitude need the patience and calm behavior of their families.
Girls who show clear signs of puberty and its progression before age 8 and boys before age 9 are considered precocious. It affects about 1 out of 5,000 children. There are two types of precocious puberty: Central precocious puberty is more common.
By age 5, a child has largely developed gross motor skills; they can jump high, run, climb well, and start doing more advanced movements like ballet, gymnastics, or karate. A 5-year-old can draw a triangle and write their own name, and they usually have a preferred handedness by now.
In girls, signs of precocious (prih-KOE-shiss) puberty include: breast development before age 7 or 8. start of menstruation (her period) before age 10. rapid height growth (a growth spurt) before age 7 or 8.
High protein intake elevates IGF-1 levels and promotes growth, which could accelerate the onset of puberty. Poor diet. Children with lower-nutrient diets tend to enter puberty earlier. A diet rich in processed foods and meats, dairy, and fast food is disruptive to normal physical development.
Premature adrenarche may be more outwardly obvious than other early cues to puberty, but it doesn't necessarily signal the start of sexual maturity. Adrenarche occurs when the adrenal androgens—sex hormones—that trigger pubic and axillary hair growth, body odor, and acne are produced.
Children's natural curiosity about their bodies
At a very young age, children begin to explore their bodies. They may touch, poke, pull or rub their body parts, including their genitals. It is important to keep in mind that these behaviors are not sexually motivated.
In recent years, some reports of CPP have been reported in children with ASD [4-7]. David and Mark [7] reported that the precocious puberty rate was 3.15 times higher in the ASD group than in the control group and that precocious puberty was more likely to occur after three years of age.
Furthermore, adrenarche can also cause mood swings, affecting children's happiness in school and at home. We expect out-of-proportion anger, tearfulness, and defiance from teens, but many parents are bewildered when their second grader starts acting out.