Precocious puberty

[MaryPoppinsDick]

I’ve name changed for this to avoid outing but I’ve been around for a good while.

My DD is 7 and drying her after her bath I noticed she has pubic hair growing - not lots but definitely noticeable. I’ll arrange for her to see the GP tomorrow but wonder if anyone has experience of very early puberty - for veruous good reasons she has struggled with toiletting, I don’t want her having to deal with periods so early on. I’m also worried about what it might mean developmentally for her.

Basically, I’m looking for a bit of a hand hold and reassurance.

Only on mumsnet do folk seem to think puberty at 7 is nothing to worry about. Precocious puberty by very definition is “early” puberty - just how early does a girl need to start showing before folk recognise the need for medical support and treatment.

My GP is concerned, the paediatrician who has been involved with my daughter for most of her life is concerned. Her teacher and head teacher are concerned about the impact they’re seeing on her emotionally and psychologically.

If periods appear 12 months after breast buds, hers will start just as she turns 8, which she is in no way equipped to deal with. Not to mention the longer term health implications of going through puberty to early.

With respect, I’m thinking that crop tops and tlc are the very least of what she needs.

I also don't think people always realise that part of going through puberty too early is that your bones fuse before you have reached your final height.

They will do tests to see if it's central precocious puberty. They also do a scan of her pituitary to rule out any abnormalities. If this is the case they can consider a 3-4 monthly injection that will block the hormones but not stop them being released and she can stop having the injections when ready.

Op is she year 2 or year 3?

I don't think 7 is considered early these days, medically speaking. There are a large minority of girls who get their periods before their 9th birthday. Sounds helish if you ask me.

Children should have a proper childhood.

I am baffled at this thread. 7/8/9 is no longer considered early for puberty?!

They're just children. This is no age to deal with everything that comes hand in hand with puberty.

Hope you get sorted OP and you get some answers for your DD.

settmenu

There is a lot of research that indicates that the onset of puberty is linked to a childs weight. If children are bigger these days and bigger at an earlier age then it makes sense puberty would start earlier too.

I started puberty around 8-9 and periods at 11 and wouldn't want DD to go through it much earlier than that.

I'd let her body develop naturally.

She isn't a woman she is a child

www.verywellhealth.com/stopping-precocious-puberty-with-puberty-blockers-4135230

She isn’t emotionally, cognitively or psychologically ready for puberty. Her height and body weight wouldn’t suggest she is physically ready for puberty. I have no issue with letting her grow naturally however every other part of her is very out of step with her going through puberty so yes, I will explore treatments available to help give her time for the rest of her to catch up before she starts the next phase of development.

That course of action feels more compassionate tbh than trying to persuade myself that she should just get on with it because girls are starting younger these days.

I'm on the fence op with my own daughter (year 4, 8y7m). She's been referred to a paediatric endocrinologist who runs a specific early onset puberty clinic, hoping an appointment will come through soon. I'm torn between avoiding side effects of blockers and the long term implications (pcos, endometriosis) and lengthening her childhood.

It’s not about lengthening her childhood for me, it’s about her development being consistent across the board. She’s a year younger than your daughter and is still very much a child. If anything I’m trying to avoid a child needing to cope with early sexual development- physically and psychologically- that she isn’t ready for yet.

It’s hard though - I do see the argument for letting nature take its course but don’t think my daughter is following a “natural” pattern of development. There are consequences of treating or not treating in terms of physical growth, bone health etc. and it’s so difficult to know what to do for the best.

Yes I agree. Is your daughter in year 3? What has the consultant suggested? My GP insists it's "normal" so had to push to be referred and I did the research to find who I wanted to be referred to. My dd doesn't seem bothered which is a blessing but I am (silently).

The paediatrician is going to refer her to endocrinology to start tests. We’re in Scotland so she’s Primary 3 - still effectively infant school here.

I've just been researching triptorelin - the puberty blocker drug and it seems to actually cause vaginal bleeding as a common side effects. Wtf??

Honestly, you couldn’t make it up!

I know. That's put me much further into the "let nature do it's thing" camp but will be on all ears to what the consultant has to say.

I'd see what the paediatric endocrinologist says.

I had this as a child & had hormone blockers at the same kind of age your daughter is. I don’t remember much about it apart from lots of tests.
I’m not sure when they stopped the medication but my body grew normally and my periods started at 13. I’m fairly tall at 5’ 9” but otherwise there’s no other sign that I had it.
Hope your daughter gets an appt soon with the paediatrician soon

We've got an appointment for 4th January

Great you've been referred to a paediatric endo.

In the meantime, you could ring the child growth foundation www.childgrowthfoundation.org . They have a helpline run by parent volunteers and are hugely knowledgeable. Precocious puberty is one of the conditions they cover/support.

So we saw a paediatric endocrinologist consultant today after just a two week wait on the NHS!. (Anyone in the south east, I totally recommend him; he's a gem). After a full examination, he has concluded precocious puberty. Dds symptoms are breast buds and need for deodorant but she is exceedingly skinny. She is going to have an Ulna xray, an ultrasound of the ovaries and womb etc and what seems like a billion blood tests - a full health MOT if you will. The consultant discussed puberty blockers. She would have them for 18months and then periods would start 6-12m after that, ie freezing her development for 2-2.5years. We'll await the test results before making a full decision but he said 2/3 of patients take the treatment.