Sometimes, delayed puberty is caused by chronic medical problems, hormonal disorders, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, disordered eating or excessive exercise, genetic disorders, tumors, and certain infections.
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.
Family History. Most often, it's simply a pattern of growth and development in a family. A guy or girl may find that his or her parent, uncle, aunt, brothers, sisters, or cousins developed later than usual, too. This is called constitutional delay (or being a late bloomer), and it usually doesn't need treatment.
Delayed puberty in boys is when puberty does not begin by 14 years of age. When puberty is delayed, these changes either don't occur or don't progress normally.
In the majority of cases, delayed puberty represents a normal variation, which may run in the family (also called constitutional delay of puberty. Hypogonadism occurs when there is a problem in the testes or a problem in the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus... read more ).
Age of pubertal onset affects the intensity and duration of pubertal growth peak but not final height.
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.
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.
Delayed puberty may also negatively affect adult psychosocial functioning and educational achievement, and individuals with a history of delayed puberty carry a higher risk for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
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. In some cases, early puberty or delayed puberty could be a sign of an underlying condition that may need to be treated.
Boys can start puberty at a wide range of ages, with 95% starting between the ages of 9 and 14, so we consider puberty delayed when it has not started by age 14. The earliest sign of puberty in boys is enlargement of the testicles, followed by growth of the penis and pubic hair.
Literally, your child could enter puberty as early as 8 or 9 years old (called precocious puberty) and as late as 14 or 15 years (called delayed puberty). In this article, we'll take a deeper look at delayed puberty, otherwise known as being a late bloomer, and what you can do about it.
But for the few who qualify as truly late, which amounts to about 2.5% of all kids, the long term consequences vary by gender. A genetic female who enters puberty late will often (though not always) enter her growth spurt late, eventually winding up taller than many of her peers.
Late bloomers have more developed brains.
The human prefrontal cortex starts developing in adolescence, but it's not done until you're about twenty-five—that's three years after the average “conveyor belt” student graduates university.
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.
Another common cause of delayed puberty in girls is lack of body fat. Being too thin can disrupt the normal process of puberty. This can occur in girls who: Are very active in sports, such as swimmers, runners, or dancers.
Delayed puberty can be caused by an underlying medical condition (e.g., celiac disease or a hormone deficiency). There's often a hereditary component to delayed puberty. If a parent was late in starting puberty, it's more likely that his or her child might be, too.
Early bloomers may start to notice changes in their bodies as early as age 10, whereas late bloomers may start at age 14. Of course, these changes could easily fall anywhere in between. Those who started on the later side, can expect to keep reaching new heights until the age of 18.
What causes delayed puberty in boys? By far, the most common cause is constitutional delayed puberty. These boys are generally healthy and will eventually go through puberty if given enough time. In about two thirds of cases, it is inherited from one or both parents.
The most dangerous age is 14. If you know any teenagers this might not come as a surprise, but research has confirmed that risk-taking peaks during this exact moment in mid-adolescence.
The most common cause of delayed puberty is a functional delay in production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamic neuronal networks that initiate the episodic or pulsatile release of the GnRH and activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
Many late maturing adolescents experience victimization or bullying – experiences that can contribute to depression and mental health problems in adulthood (18).