Most commonly, especially in girls, precocious puberty is due to the brain sending signals earlier than it should. There is no other underlying medical problem or trigger. This also can often run in families. Less often, precocious puberty stems from a more serious problem, such as a tumor or trauma.
The higher estrogen levels could promote earlier onset of breast development and menarche in girls.
The average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12. 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.
Researchers followed 338 children from before birth to adolescence. They found that the daughters of mothers who had higher levels of chemicals, including diethyl phthalate, in their bodies during pregnancy experienced puberty at younger ages. Diethyl phthalate is often used in fragrances and cosmetics.
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.
Median age of development of hair in the scrotal area was 4.5 months (range, 3 to 7 months). Median age at presentation was 7 months (range, 4 to 10 months). On clinical examination, all 9 infants had more than 10 long pigmented hairs on the scrotum, except for 1 infant who had only 5 dark hairs.
Pubic hair of infancy is due to transiently elevated androgen levels in the first few months of life and increased sensitivity of sexual hair follicles to androgens. Precocious puberty can be differentiated by the concomitant appearance of pubic hair with breast development in girls or testicular enlargement in boys.
According to a new survey of parents, age 15 is the hardest age to deal with.
For central precocious puberty, medications called GnRH analogs are the standard treatment. They work by blocking the hormones coming from the pituitary gland that trigger puberty. Most children who need treatment get these medicines as injections or implants.
Most girls start their periods when they're about 12, but they can start as early as 8, so it's important to talk to girls from an early age to make sure they're prepared.
Most cases of early puberty cannot be prevented. Limiting your child's exposure to reproductive hormones from outside sources may prevent precocious puberty. These sources may include estrogen or testosterone creams, lotions, or other medications.
Most young people will have their first periods when they're between 11 and 14½, but anywhere from 9-16 years is considered normal. Periods are likely to start soon if your child has: had a major growth spurt. grown some underarm and pubic hair.
If the father was absent from before birth, girls started puberty on average 3 months earlier, and this difference declined in accordance with the girl's age when the father left the family during childhood. For boys, the trend was only present if the father was absent from late childhood (6–10 years old).
African-American and Hispanic girls tend to reach puberty earlier than their white counterparts, research shows.
Higher total protein, animal protein and meat intake in children ages 3 to 7 have been associated with earlier onset of menstruation. High protein intake elevates IGF-1 levels and promotes growth, which could accelerate the onset of puberty.
Avoid exposure to hormones.
Keep your children away from medications, creams, and lotions that contain reproductive hormones like estrogen and testosterone. This is the best way to avoid early puberty, as it cannot be prevented in most cases.
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that drinking milk causes early puberty. In the United States, girls are entering puberty at younger ages than they were in the first half of the 20th century. Researchers do not know the exact trigger for early-onset puberty, although it is likely influenced by many factors.
In girls, earlier age of menarche, breast development, and growth spurt were related to shorter height. In boys, earlier age of growth spurt and slower progression through puberty were related to taller height at age 18 years.
At what age does puberty stop? It can take up to 20 years of age for all the changes that happen during puberty to take place. Puberty doesn't happen all at once — it happens in stages.
They become quite independent as they reach 5-6 years of age, even wanting to help you with some of the chores! This is probably why most parents look at age 6 as the magical age when parenting gets easier.
Age 8 Is the Hardest Age to Parent, According to Parent Poll.
A breast bud is a lump that develops under the nipple in the first stage of breast growth. The lump may be tender and sore, but it is completely normal in girls undergoing puberty. However, if your child is under eight years old and developing breast buds, she may be experiencing precocious puberty.
There's really no right or wrong age for kids to begin shaving. It all depends on when their body changes and their interest level. For instance, some girls start puberty as young as age 8 or 9, while boys start puberty a little later.
For Girls. The earliest age to start puberty for girls is eight years old. That means axillary (underarm) hair, pubic hair, breast development, body odor, and mild acne is normal in eight-year-olds is normal. Girls typically begin their period two years after breast buds appear, the youngest age being ten.