When puberty ends, growth in height stops. Because their skeletons mature and bone
growth stops at an earlier age than normal, kids with precocious puberty that's not
treated usually don't reach their full adult height potential. Their early growth
spurt may make them initially tall when compared with their peers. But they may stop
growing too soon and end up at a shorter height than they would have otherwise.
Going through puberty early also can be hard for kids emotionally and socially.
Girls with precocious puberty, for example, may be confused or embarrassed about getting
their periods or having enlarged breasts well before any of their peers. They may
be treated differently because they look older.
Even emotions and behavior may change in kids with precocious puberty. Girls can
become moody and irritable. Boys can become more aggressive and also develop a sex
drive inappropriate for their age.
What Causes Precocious Puberty?
The onset of puberty is normally triggered by the hypothalamus. This area of the brain signals
the
(a pea-sized gland near the base of the brain) to release hormones that
stimulate the ovaries (in girls) or testicles (in boys) to make sex hormones.
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. Thyroid or ovarian problems also can trigger early puberty. In these cases,
other symptoms usually happen that point to a more serious problem.
Precocious puberty is less common in boys, and more likely to be related to another
medical problem. For about 5% of boys, the condition is inherited.
Some very young girls (usually from 6 months to 3 years old) may show breast development
that later disappears or may last but without other physical changes of puberty. This
is called premature thelarche (thee-LAR-kee) and usually doesn't
cause lasting problems.
Similarly, some girls and boys may have early growth of pubic and/or underarm hair
or body odor that isn't related to other changes in sexual
development. This is called premature adrenarche (ah-druh-NAR-kee).
These kids may need to see their doctor to rule out "true" precocious
puberty. But most need no treatment and will show the other expected signs of puberty
at the usual age.
How Is Precocious Puberty Diagnosed?
Talk to your doctor if your child shows any signs of early
sexual maturation (before age 7 or 8 in girls or age 9 in boys), including:
breast development
rapid height growth
menstruation
acne
enlarged testicles or penis
pubic or underarm hair
To diagnose precocious puberty, the doctor may order blood
tests to look for high levels of sex hormones. X-rays of your child's wrist and hand
can show whether the bones are maturing too early.
Rarely, imaging tests such as MRIs
and ultrasound studies are done to rule out uncommon causes of precocious puberty,
such as a
in the brain, ovary, or testicle.
How Is Precocious Puberty Treated?
If your child has precocious puberty, the doctor may refer you to a pediatric
(a doctor who specializes in growth and hormonal disorders in children)
for treatment.
The treatment goals are to:
stop or even reverse sexual development
stop the rapid growth and bone maturation that can lead to adult short stature
or an early start to periods
Depending upon the cause, there are two possible approaches to treatment:
treating the underlying cause or disease
lowering the high levels of sex hormones with medicine to stop sexual development
Sometimes, treatment of a related health problem can stop the precocious puberty.
But in most cases, there's no other disease, so treatment usually involves hormone
therapy to stop sexual development.
The currently approved hormone treatment is with drugs called LHRH analogs.
These synthetic (man-made) hormones block the body's production of the sex hormones
that cause early puberty. Positive results usually are seen within a year of starting
treatment. LHRH analogs are generally safe and usually cause no side effects in kids.
In girls, breast size may decrease. In boys, the penis and testicles may shrink
back to the size expected for their age. Growth in height will also slow down to a
rate expected for kids before puberty. A child's behavior usually becomes more age-appropriate
too.
How Can Parents Help?
Give your child a simple, truthful explanation about what's happening. Explain
that these changes are normal for older kids and teens, but that his or her body started
developing a little too early. Keep your child informed about treatment and what to
expect along the way.
Also watch for signs that teasing or other problems may be affecting your child
emotionally. Common warning signs to discuss with your doctor include:
How parents react can affect how well kids cope. To promote a healthy body image
and strong self-esteem:
Avoid making comments about your child's appearance.
Offer praise for achievements in school or sports.
Support your child's interests.
The important thing is that doctors can treat precocious puberty.
They can help kids keep their adult height potential and limit the emotional and social
stress kids may face from maturing early.