To be worried DD 8 is growing breasts?

[Scandimama]

They say anything after 8 is now considered within normal range for puberty to start.
but when DD, who just turned 8, showed me last night that she’s growing breast buds (just started within last weeks apparently) I felt very freaked out. Just think it’s too early? She also has had colorless discharge for a while and her upper lip had got more hairy. I’m really worried she’ll start periods soon and worried she’ll feel uncomfortable developing so soon. She’s still quite childish and into My little pony and dolls. I just think she should be allowed to be a child for longer without having to worry about becoming a little woman. I didn’t have my period until 15 and breast by 13, so think I’m also just really surprised she’s developing my so much sooner.

This is to show you an example of the range you expect to see.

Girls can fall anywhere within that range on the graph.

If you think of the middle as the average or mean age (where most girls are), you'd have another set of girls that would fall into 1 standard deviation from the mean (backwards or forwards from the middle) and then another group 2 standard deviations from the mean.

All this means is as you approach the second deviation there's fewer girls....at either ends of the graph or range (early or late onset).

So really don't worry too much.

My DD started wearing crop tops at 8 (to help her feel less self conscious).

I got breast buds at about that age as well. I remember calling my mum into the bathroom on holiday to ask what was going on?!

I started getting a bit of underarm and pubic hair at about 10-11, and my periods started just before my 12th birthday.

I'm a primary school teacher, and know of at least one year 5 girl who has started her period.

@Scandimama Hi op. I know how you feel, its suck a shock when their bodies start to change etc. My dd was like this around 8, and she started her periods just after her 10th birthday. I wasn't surprised tbh because her body had changed so much. Obviously i was a little sad because they will always be our babies wont they .
Anyway, around the age of 8/9 i bought her a book about growing up and i have been very open with her about periods etc This helped loads because by the time her periods came, she handled it really well. Book is 'the girls guide to growing up' by Anita Naik. Maybe have a look on amazon,see what you think x

It's not unusual is it? Does she have pubic hair? I did aged 9. Breasts started at 8. Periods at 11

I don't think we need to take our daughters to the doctor for normal bodily functions (discharge) acne etc

Wont that make them feel like they're unusual/
Annormal?

Dd was around this age when she started to develop. She was 10y, near the start of year 6, when her periods started. It felt quite young but she wasn't unusual in her class. A fair few of them had gone through these stages before they left primary school.

@zingally

Five!!! My five y/o can barely wipe her own arse

Poor kid

Year 5 not 5 years old.
Year 5 is 9-10 year olds, so definitely within the normal range, albeit the early part of the range.

I really think you can relax on this. I started to develop boobs about the same time, periods started around 11, 40s now and it did not scar me for life.

So from aged 6 ? That really needs investigation as it is far too young and would be classed as premature puberty.

Friends DD had bud growth at 8, after tests she got injections to stop her having a period. Think the main issue is once periods start there is little to no growth/height, and she’s still very small.

My period started a year after breast buds started developing. I’ve not grown much in height since my period (Year 6).

@Scandimama my mother raised my arms in front of one of her friends and say “Orange has armpit hair already!”. I was 8. It was awful. I didn’t really know what that meant but knew it wasn’t good.

I have PCOS and struggled a lot with body hair around/once puberty hit.

so, in terms of what not to do - be discrete about it. Seek advice if you have to but don’t talk to just about anybody or talk about it as if she’s not even there

Sorry, meant to say do be *discreet about it!!

Yes I have taken her gp twice they weren't concerned I will have to take her again as there are other signs now she has shot up grown about 3 inches all of a sudden. she is also getting armpit hairs, I keep worrying thinking about her starting her periods she is just far to young. Not 8 untill September

She needs a referral to a paediatric endocrinologist. Your GP has been really remiss here, six is far too young to start puberty.

My daughter grew them at 8 also. It is so shocking when you see their body go from a child's body to a woman's body. I'm still shocked every day lol.

Even 40 years ago I remember one particular girl wearing a bra in year 5 and the boys teasing her calling her a page 3 girl, from memory she was very developed whereas I didn't start any signs until secondary school

I started growing them at about that age. Now at 47, I'm a 30 aa, they only ever went to a b cup when breastfeeding!

I wouldn't worry about it, it doesn't mean they'll develop quickly or even much bigger as in my case!

I just think she should be allowed to be a child for longer without having to worry about becoming a little woman

She can be? Getting your period doesn’t make you a woman…squash that narrative.

Phyto-estrogens are part of the environment too…ie. Soy

@everyone thank you so much for all your words of wisdom and sharing experiences. It’s truly helped me chill out a lot more about the whole thing and understand now there’s nothing to worry about. Also thank you for your advice on how to handle it. DD only mentioned it once today when she was getting changed at the pool, she told med again that there’s something hard behind her nipple and then she asked her little brother, 5 yrs, to feel and he was like “yea it is hard and mine isn’t!” And it was actually a very sweet and innocent moment. I just said to her that’s it’s normal and that it’s just her body developing, and she seemed totally content and moved on.

DD grew buds in year 1. Took her to GP who wasn't too worried but said if any other signs appear eg pubic hair etc to go back and see GP again. There wasn't much change until about age 10 so no further concerns.

That’s not remotely true. My periods started when I was 10 and I know that when I was 12 (so two years later) I was still under the threshold for a car seat. I’m now 158cm so I’ve grown at least seven inches since two years after my period started.

Whilst girls usually stop growing within a few years of starting their period, the plateau in height isn’t caused by having a period. Having periods doesn’t stop your growth so preventing them doesn’t keep you growing.

The injections wouldn’t have been for that reason.

DD has puberty blockers injections and it is literally to improve her adult height by delaying her periods. Periods are usually the final stage of physical development/puberty, growth tends to significantly slow down once periods begins and in most cases finishes within two years of periods beginning.

DD has the injections because they stop her periods and suppress her progression through puberty so that her growth won't plateau for another few years. She's having them to keep her in the growing phase.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/early-or-delayed-puberty/