Need a hand hold re suspected early puberty in 6 year old

[qualitystreettin]

Daughter is tall for her age & a little chunky. She’s had body odour for a year which we use deodorant for. I noticed some pubic hairs a few weeks ago. We have seen a doctor who thinks she has breast buds too. She is going to refer us as she thinks this is likely early puberty.

she mentioned that brain tumours can cause this which terrified me, obviously. She did do basic neuro tests with DD whilst we were there & they were all fine so she said she wasn’t concerned it was that.

i just feel sick, we live rurally and the nearest private Endocronologist is a 6 hour round drive & no availability until March. Both my kids were critically ill when they were born & both under the care of Paeds for a few years each. Anything like this just throws me back there. Also the fact that she’s only 6 & although very mature for her age, 6 is just so young to be going through this.

Anyone that has been here before, any advice appreciated. Did your DC have treatment? Or just leave nature to it? What tests did they have?

TIA x

@MTistheDBThank you ❤️

I would investigate pituitary gland tumour, benign growth causes early puberty. Easily treatable with a tablet to shrink it and a puberty blocker. My daughter had early puberty starting from 8 and this was the cause. Please do try to keep investigating and stall it as it can severely reduce girls growth. Good luck with it

we needed an mri to show it with the dye btw

Thank you for your reply. Wow that sounds scary. Although looking on NHS they say if kids are 8+ puberty although early is normal. Did you say the tumour is/was benign? @Gingybread

My dd started puberty aged 6 too. Referred to the hospital why did scans and bloods. No sinister cause just precocious puberty. We decided to let nature take it course and her periods started aged 8. She took it in her stride thankfully. Her height has been the only problem. As soon as she got regular periods aged ten she stopped growing. We are a tall family. She’s 4 foot 9. Looking back I wish we had given her the medication to delay periods as she hates being so petite

My dd had suspected early puberty, but scans showed that it was actually premature adrenarche, she didn’t need any treatment, and didn’t start her periods until 12 and a half. She was tallish but very thin, in her case it wasn’t a weight issue but it is more common in girls who are a bit heavier.
Is your dd getting scans ? In our case dd had blood tests, an ultrasound of her ovaries and uterus, and an x-Ray of her hand to check bone growth. We also live very rurally but we saw a paediatric endocrinologist who did a clinic locally on a rotation. He was lovely, actually. Very kind and reassuring.

Is puberty from 8 seen as unusual? That’s when I had everything (affected my mental health very badly).

It is definitely a benign growth abd a common cause of early puberty and it was easily treated with tablets and she had puberty blockers as injections till 12 to reach the average age of puberty.

I’m in Australia and yes 8 was seen as early. I’m glad they investigated and found it was being caused by a tumour so we could get her treated and on the right path.

Her mental health was being affected too which was very upsetting

@Christwoshedsi was hoping for this too but she has breast buds already the doctor informed me & looking online premature Adrenarche symptoms would be without the breast buds.

@bloomchamphow is she doing now? I just hate the waiting. Waiting weeks to be given an appointment, then however long until the appointment, then all the tests etc.

@qualitystreettin she’s late teens now and doing ok. Very petite (which she hates) but no other issues. She took it in her stride when her periods started. It has never really affected her mentally.

Can you afford a private consultation? Even if it's by phone? I wouldn't be waiting until March.

My experience is with the opposite problem... pituitary tumour which caused growth to fail. Concerns about tumours aside - I would be worried about waiting for advice because the sooner puberty starts/finishes the sooner the growth plates will close and so some kids end up staying on the smaller side.

@bloomchampThats really encouraging to hear. Did they ever find a reason for it happening so early?

We saw a brilliant endocrinologist for my DS, for delayed puberty. She is incredible. Works from Great Ormond St, and then does private work from a clinic in Marylebone. If you are able to pay, and can get to London, I would recommend her. I have just checked, and she has appointments available in the next two weeks.

@NancyJoanThat would be amazing but we are in Devon. Could you please give me her details anyway?

Girls puberty is often triggered by their weight rather than age. My friends daughter started at 7 .

That would be Dr Spoudeas I'm guessing. Would also recommend.

It is! I adore her!

Have messaged you.

@NancyJoan@BlackSwanthank you both!

I think this would be relatively likely this would get triaged as urgent if the referral mentioned breast buds, in a department where waits for endocrine specific person are long (many are general paediatricians anyway) might be seen initially by a general paediatrician to avoid delays; or they could arrange blood test appointment while waiting since that's the main thing (will accurately confirm or not if puberty hormones are elevated).

Dd also had the vreast buds so they were concerned. But did all the tests and it wasnt early puberty.

We also realised around the same time she was dairy intolerant and were surprised when many of the obvious symptoms- breast buds, pubic hair, appeared to retreat once we cut out dairy. Our doctor said there's no research but that dairy intolerance and early puberty are often seen in the same children.

Dd is 11 now and no sign of her period yet. We do have an ultrasound in a few weeks to check but I am not concerned. She has also slimmed down and lost a lot of the "bloat" amd her breast buds are no bigger today than they were 3 years ago. She's also starting to get taller which is a relief - she was starting to feel very short for her age.b