Early puberty

[leapoffaith7]

I looking for advice, and reassurance, that other parents have experienced their child starting puberty early. My daughter is only 7 and is already "budding" and promoting the well recognised attitude of puberty.
I am pretty open to her knowing about her body etc..but she is so small for her age (wears 4-5/5-6 clothes) and has only lost two baby teeth!
Has anyone else experienced this?
My daughter has been diagnosed with an overactive bladder, quite a few years ago, and still struggles with incontinence and the thought of her starting her period is just a really scary prospect!
Anyone who can empathise with either situation, it would be appreciated...sometimes feel there is so little help out there.
PS this is my first thread, so im hoping this has worked, lol [BLUSH]

[mouldycheesefan]

You need to go to the GP there are all sorts of issues like growth stopping at puberty and issues with bones etc. puberty is not just about boobs! my friend daughter had this she was given injections to delay puberty. Really surprised you have not sought proper medical advice on this!

[JustDanceAddict]

You def need to go to the GP. 7 is very early for breast buds, etc.

[leapoffaith7]

I have been to the gp and I was advised to join here to talk to other parents who may have been through the same, not judged on my parenting.
I was told she is within "normal" limits and nothing would be done to stop her puberty. I am aware it's not just about books, I have been through it too, lol.
Surprised by the responses on here, hoped for more support and understanding

[Nodney]

Hi Leap just wanted to put in my experience although it's with DS so not quite the same! He's 8 now but has had to pay close attention to cleaning under his arms for about 12 months now as he's started to get a bit smelly after sport! Ive also noticed he's getting a bit moody and withdrawn sometimes. Hope this helps!

[orangetart]

Is she really developing breast buds or is she just a bit podgy. I know that seems rude but there are a lot of fat kids around now and plenty of mothers buying first bras to hold that fat.

[Clobbered]

Er, might I suggest that you go back and see a different GP? Really, 7 is very young for puberty, and I don't think I would be happy to accept that as a variant of normal. Sorry if you don't feel supported, but people are expressing genuine concerns.

[Helenluvsrob]

I had a dd who went through a variant of precocious puberty. I would also question if she has actual breast tissue or just " podge" ( I mean that kindly)

This gives more details
healthvermont.gov/family/toolkit/tools%5CJ-1%20CARD%20Tanner%20Stages.pdf

True early pubertal breast development starts with prominent areole and nipples rather than breast tissue as you can see.

As she is short for her age it's pretty unlikely as well. My dd was much taller than many of her peers from age 7 but stopped growing at about 12. She is now a short (ish) adult but the same size as her" normal" sister - she also started her periods at the same time.

Btw I got very worked up about treatment , but a change in consultant meant we missed the boat time wise. I'm really glad we didn't treat her now - I suspect she reached her normal adult height anyway.

[Helenluvsrob]

The other thing to know about early puberty in girls - it is almost never due to a serious (ie malignant) cause.

The opposite is true for boys. Three precocious puberty is rarer and there are serious " find the cancer chucking the hormones out" tests that need to happen.

Nodney check your cheap over for any other signs of puberty ( see tanner link) but just being a bit wiffy is probably OK.

[Nodney]

Thanks Helen i didnt know that. My boy is just a bit wiffy, nothing else Ive noticed. But I didnt know that about boys

[bigglesgoggles]

Hi Leap.
I'm in a similar situation.
DD is 7, (not 8 till the summer). There are signs of development already. Her areola is starting to become more prominent, and in the last month she has had a few days where there has been 'normal' discharge in her pants.

But in some ways, she is still so young. she is still not 100% dry at night - maybe 3 or 4 dry nights out of 7 at best.

So these changes all feel too early.
(Someone mentioned still having baby teeth - she's got 8 adult teeth!)

She's very slim and tall for her age, and I've talked with her about how our bodies change.
I was an early starter (periods at 9) so this hasn't come as a complete surprise.

I've not been to our doctors about it as I wasn't under the impression there was anything to worry about.

Am interested in what others experiences are of this.

[latrilllis]

Please see another GP for a second opinion. My dd started with very obvious BO at 7 (polyester PE kit didn't help) plus some vaginal 'wetness' and I freaked a bit. I got two GP opinions (by coincidence, because of house moves) and they both reassured me that she was fine unless there was breast development or pubic hair/under arm hair. They also said it can stop and start for a few years before proper puberty sets in. She now washes/ showers in the morning and uses deodorant but things have not progressed further. If it had I would have insisted on medication to stop early puberty because she is very young for her age and there is no way she could have coped with breasts and periods aged 9!

[leapoffaith7]

yeah she really is developing breasts, lol. She is very petite, wears 4/5 or 5/6 clothes and has no fat on her at all.

[mouldycheesefan]

See another go get a consultant referral

[Helenluvsrob]

Another gp and politely request it's looked into then

[leapoffaith7]

Thank you, your messages have been very reassuring. My DD is 8 in april.
I have no way of knowing if she has had any vaginal discharge, as she is incontinent (and under urology). Ive not noticed any hair or BO yet.
I was an early starter (period at 9) but i was tall for my age in contrast to my daughter.
Her buds are her nipple and areola and there are definite hard lumps under there, which are noticeable to see.

[Ruksy34]

My d is nearly 10yrs she is tall for her age but is very slim, she has started to bud and has a few pubic hairs. Her older sister is 12 yrs and just started her periods and started to develop breasts, again she is slim but she is normal. I am worried about my 10yr old going through puberty so early, she is a bright and intelligent girl and is mature for her age, I suppose she had to be because since she was little, people assumed her to be older because of her height.

[FATEdestiny]

My dd was 10y5m when she started her periods. She'd been going through puberty for a good 2 years before then. By the time her periods started she was fully hairy down below, armpit hair, b-cup bra, teenage acne, used deodorant, etc.

These all began when she was about 8. I don't know if this is considered early, but she has coped fine. Remember that changes are emotional as well as physical. My dd is significantly more mature in her attitude than her school friends. This is the reason she can cope with puberty at a level they could not - because she us emotionally and intellectually more developed as well as physically more developed as a result of early puberty.

So it doesn't have to be all scary doom.

[AgeingArtemis]

Rusky I would say that budding at 10 is completely normal?

I started budding and wearing deodorant at 10.5, hair at 11 and then first period at nearly 13. I was normal in my peer group, if anything slightly older than average!

There is usually about 18 months between budding and first period, so periods at 11 or 12 are completely average -although I know they seem so young at that age!

[leapoffaith7]

I was told by the gp (and the NHS website) that puberty starts between 8-13 with 11 being average.

As said though, my daughter is tiny but i have been reassured that i am only 5"6 and her father is only 5"4 so shes not going to be winning any height award and is "normal" for her.

Im studying a degree in biology and ive done some research on studies about this and there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the early or lateness of puberty can be hereditary plus, evolutionary, girls are developing earlier than they have done previously.

Luckily my d has only started budding and becoming rather emotional but i guess its a good time to implement her privacy and to start taking care of herself by making sure she washes key places properly and using deodorant etc.. ive already given her "the talk" which she took in her stride so im now feeling a low stressed about it

[Dancergirl]

My dd is 8 (9 in February) and has had a bit of BO and vaginal discharge for some time. No breast buds yet but her shape is definitely changing, she has curvier hips.

I thought it was very early too and was worried but after doing a bit of research I found out she was within normal limits.

I presume she won't start her periods for a while yet, does anyone know does breast development and pubic hair definitely come before periods or does it vary?

[dementedpixie]

Dd definitely had pubic hair and quite prominent breast buds before starting her periods. It is part of the Tanner Stages of puberty. She started her periods last year aged 11

[MLGs]

Hi. Really pleased to find this as was coming on here to ask similar.

My DD is 7 but tall. I have noticed tiny buds starting when she was in the bath recently. She is very slim but quite muscly in the chest area (she has something of a six pack!) so wasn't sure if it was pectoral muscles but the shape is that of budding.

Plus her behaviour and feelings remind me of how I felt at about 8/9 when beginning pre puberty. I started my periods at 11, but have an aunt who started hers at 9!

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

My DD started with pubic hair, not lots and she was nearly 8. We took her to the GP who sent us for kinds of tests, not because of her age, that was considered within the acceptable range, but because the normal stage of development starts with breast buds. It was all deemed ok after tests showed nothing, and things seemed to calm down, she was twelve and a half when her periods started.

My goddaughter had a breast bud that came and went when she was 7, one day it was there, next day gone, before things finally settled down. But again, the GP wasn't worried

[DontOpenDeadInside]

My DD is 7, 8 in June and she has started developing buds. I took her to go who took bloods, but they came back "normal" with no other info. I'm not sure whether to just keep an eye, or go back (but assuming nothing can be done?) Her emotions had been really bad before I noticed the buds, so was kind of 'relieved' when I realised that it (puberty) might be the cause.

[DontOpenDeadInside]

Go=gp