DD starting puberty too early.

[hellymelly]

My dd is 8, a few months ago I noticed the beginnings of pubic hair- as there was nothing else really, no underarm hair, no change in body odour, no breast changes, I decided to wait and see how things panned out.
However, she has seemed on and off moody in a teenage way for some time, since the tail end of 7 really, and I think the hair probably began at 7, it was just not very noticable.
Now she is getting more hair downstairs, and I think there seems a slight difference to her chest, she is also very moody and flouncy.
I talked to my GP about it a few weeks ago (without DD) and she said it was fine, not to worry, she still might not start periods for ages etc.(she mentioned a weight that girls have to reach). But I am still worried. I have read about it affecting height and bones if girls start their periods too early. I was nearly 16, my mother 16, and dd, although tall, is very slim and slightly built, she isn't at the heavier end of the scale.
Do we need to take it further and if so how? My GP was so dismissive, (saying only if she was 5 would anything be done) that I don't really want to go back. Anyone we can see privately?

[AMumGoingMad]

My dd has precocious puberty (early puberty) and started at age 6 and is now getting treatment. We were told if she had been 7.5 or older then nothing would have been done. Although 8 is early it is considered within normal range so nothing will be done for her so the GP is right. It can take years from 1st signs to her 1st period.

[hellymelly]

Oh, ok, thanks for that. 8 seems incredibly early to have pubic hair to me, maybe as I was late with everything. Even if it takes another 3 years before she starts her periods she will still be in primary school, whereas I was in the upper fifth form. (0-level year). I am really worried about the bone/height issue, and also very concerned that she may get attention from men/boys long before she is in any way mature enough to deal with it. She is quite a "young" 8 as it is. Oh dear!

[Twirlyhot]

Did you tell the doctor about you and your mother?

[DoItTooJulia]

Hiya,

I noticed some pubic hair just last week in my ds who is 8. It does feel early, but I'm not too worried, just yet. I have also noticed some moodiness too, but hadn't put it down to hormones, I thought is was tiredness from the end of term! D'oh!

[DoItTooJulia]

Not in my ds, on my ds!

[hellymelly]

I did tell the GP about my family having later than average puberty, yes. She said that dd might not start hers until late, but that seems unlikely to me. I had no hair until it started very slightly at about 12. It isn't really noticable yet on dd, unless you are right up close, there isn't a lot, but it seems to be increasing and she has gone from sunny to super-stroppy. Although like your DS DoItTooJulia, it could be partly tiredness.

[twilight81]

My dd is similar, she started with on and off BO at age 5/6 and I didn't take her to GP as didn't read much into it at time to be honest.. Since aged 9 I noticed some hair down below but no other changes, she is very slight compared to a lot of girls her age and just seems so young to even be getting hair, I was very late in all aspects. My periods didn't start until I was at least 15/16. I just hope hers don't come early. She has just turned 10 but is not a mature 10 at all, bless her. I have also noticed the mood swings.

[Theas18]

op. been through all this with dd2. she was 7 send didn't get treated. she's fine now, at 14.
on phone. Will post again tomorrow but 8 is ok in girls.
8 is possibility not ok in boys though-talk to gp.

[TinyDiamond]

Hi. I think I started to get a few hairs around this age. I started my periods in year 6 at age 11 as did my younger sister but my Mum and gran didn't until 14 so it can vary. With the hair, it may be a bit of a gradual thing. Even though mine started growing at an early age I am not a particularly hairy person at all even as an adult.
I wouldn't worry as such but I'd make sure she knows that you're there to talk to about stuff and maybe discreetly buy her a book that she can read in private. I had one called the facts of life (I'm sure there must be a really up to date version now you could get) and this was really comprehensive without being TMI. Friendly cartoons but explaining things in a sciencey way really.

She will probably talk with her friends at school about all this stuff, maybe not in depth at 8 but they will gossip. Give her the facts so she can be well informed. I know it seems young but so much better to be open

[hellymelly]

Thanks for the further messages, Theas18 would be good to hear how your dd got on, thank you. twighlight my dd is also slight and not mature, she would happily strip naked on the beach to change as she did when smaller.

[Theas18]

dd had BO hair and breast development at 7. we went through all the tests, and she had a really advanced bone age and was tall for her age.

she would happily still strip naked to change and chat with her mates after swimming classes and I remember some very conflicted feelings about that, but let her get on with it. n one of them cared actually!

short summary is lots of tests were done, I was initially told shed be treated, but a changed if consultant and a delay to see him and the offer was withdrawn. I was really upset and cross. but we had missed the boat.

actually in the end it was the right thing Probably.

she is short at 5 foot 1 . short stature is pretty much inevitable in precocious puberty ( but your dd at 8 is just in the normal range). she started her periods at 11 yrs 3 months just in the summer between year 6 and 7. bra buying is a pain- but she is just small chested and busty.

however, I also have dd1 who was " normal" .....
dd1 is the same height , and started her periods at the same age ( being a late summer born that took her just into year 7). she wears a 34 bra back so easier tobuy bras as she is bigger .

[Theas18]

so... was dd2 abnormal at all? maybe not ( though, as happens when you investigate thing's, we have found an odd thyroid " Probably nothing" thing that she and I both have)did I miss dd1 early puberty? maybe?

both girls really didn't grow after year 6 or 7. they started tall and their peers grew past them. they'd like to be taller, but they are not hugely short. then annoying thing It's well meaning relatives who say" well you'll grow a bit yet".... no they won't!

dd2 is sometimes bothered by it but we point out small female role models ( eg the lovely new music teacher who is smaller than dd2). no one is 100% happy with themselves physically and we discuss that too.

incidentally,DS went through early puberty too, so It's probably genetic, not abnormally early, but his voice broke before he was 13 and he was singing a good bass at 14- voice being about the last thing in boys. he's 6 foot 2 though!

[DownstairsMixUp]

I was 8 when I first got pubic hair, I remember vividly as I was having a bath with a friend, funny how memories like that stick out! I wouldn't worry though, i didn't get my first period till i was 12 and didn't stop properly filling out till I was 18, think it's quite normal these days!

[Elibean]

I was worried about early puberty with dd1, as she had BO from the age of 4 - on and off.

No other signs until about 8.5, and I noticed some longer, darker pubic hairs starting. She's now 9.5 with underarm hair (which she asked me to remove, as other girls had commented at swimming) and clear beginnings of pubic hair, and more recently breast buds have begun to grow - perhaps in the last 3 months.

She wears a crop top when they 'ache', and we've talked about bodies changing and how everyone is different with when they start, and it all seems fairly normal tbh.

I was older, but my SIL was 9 when she got her periods, and I know others who were, so I don't think this is all that early anymore. I'm hoping periods will hold off for another year or two!

dd is quite tall, medium build.

As for moodiness - oh goodness, there have been phases of that, though much calmer now. I think 8 was the moodiest phase yet, partly hormonal I'm sure but there are a lot of other developmental changes around that age (peer group becoming more important, ability to think in abstracts, etc) so goodness knows what caused what.

[hellymelly]

I would be sad if she didn't reach her full height, I was very tiny until 15 and then grew 6" in a year, getting growth stretchmarks on my legs. I like being tall, but my DH is not tall for a man, he is 5'8" like me. He comes from a tall family though. Thea what was the thyroid thing if you don't mind me asking? My mum and I both have auto immune thyroid problems.
Tiny- although she is quite "young" for 8, she does know all about periods etc. I've always been really clear and open with my dds from todderhood, when they asked questions, and we also have books like "where Willy went" and "hair in funny places". (amusing picture books that explain reproduction and puberty).

[Theas18]

We have thyroid hormone resistence syndrome. a rare dominantly inherited genetic thing of no consequence. Not related to the puberty issues and not related to hyper/hypothyroidism in most cases but by gosh our thyroid function blood look very odd.

Statistically your dd is likely to be shorter than you as you are taller than average ( just by "regression to the mean") but you can find the adult height predictor calculation, plot her on an age related centile chart ( in your red book) And see what that looks like.

[cocolepew]

My DD started to have hair at 8 and her breasts started to grow. She is very hairy and had been using hair removing cream since she was 8. She started her periods at 11, though they are very erratic.
I remember having hair at age 9 and my periods started at 13.
DD1 is now 15, she isn't as hairy and her periods started at 14.

[hellymelly]

I have heard of regression to the mean, but most of the tall boys and girls I know have tall parents, and all my friends dds who are adults are taller than their mothers. The only exception I know is DH's sister, who is not tall, and DH. Their parents are quite a bit taller than them, as are their extended family. They had a short Granny though! DD is the tallest in her class at the moment (she's about 134cm, but we live in Wales where people are smaller than in England).

[hellymelly]

I think I also read there was another issue with bones due to early puberty, not solely height, but I can't remember what it was. I wonder if I should get DD checked over privately so that we know how things are likely to progress, I don't want to worry my dd though.

[maja00]

I started my periods at 11 and am 5'1" - my sister started at 16 and is about 6" taller.

Year 5 and 6 in primary school is really not that unusual to start periods now though.

[OrangeLily]

I was 8 or 9 when I started puberty with pubic hair/underarm hair but didn't get my periods until I was 12. Then no real breast development until I was 16 and then they grew very quickly which was a bit surprising. I'm also average height.

However, I do remember my best friend at school started her period at aged eight.

Sorry cant offer anything apart from anecdotal advice.

[hellymelly]

Orange your friend started at 8 . That is so little to be dealing with periods. I am pretty sure no-one in my class started in primary school. Even in secondary no-one in my form started until the second year, aged 12. I was the last of my whole year, which was brilliant. By the time it happened I was emotionally ready. I think I would have dealt with it very badly at 11 or younger.

[OrangeLily]

Yes she dealt with I fine though. Only me and the teacher knew. I think I recall the teacher giving her time to go and change pads when no-one else was there. Think she was possibly 'getting medicine' if any of the other kids noticed her absence. She also used to get to sit in if she was sore at break or lunch but that was her choice. We used to colour in during those lunchtimes.

[Minifingers]

My ds is in year 4 and many girls in his class are showing signs of breast development. It's more common in girls of African and Caribbean descent. (my dc's school is 80% non white).

My dd started showing breast development at about 9 or 10, but didn't start her periods until she was 13 and a half. Her cousin started her periods at 9.

It's hard for them isn't it?

[CoolBox]

Hi . I haven't read the whole thread but I had the same worries with dd. she is now 11.5 and developing at a normal rate, we had some early signs but didn't progress at a fast rate at all. I took her to the dr at 8. She still hasn't started periods, which is a relief, but has underarm hair. Btw, what weight/size is your dd. Mine is on the border between healthy weight and slightly plump. Weight can be a factor... Losing excess weight in a healthy way, without making it into a body image issue for dd can help slow the rate of puberty, I think. Obv this may not be relevant to you. Sorry if this has been mentioned already.