onset of puberty in an 8 year old?

[ZZZenAgain]

I'm a bit worried about dd who is 8 going on 9. It seems way too early to be entering even early puberty. She has considerable pubic hair already, pimply forehead, little bumps coming through for breasts, she has a defined waist. She is otherwise slim, the breasts are not part of general obesity IYSWIM

I am wondering if she will soon be having her period. I was quite late I think, getting mine first when I was 14.

Is this within the normal age range for these kind of developments these days? Should I speak to a doctor about it?

My cousin started her periods at eight and was quite distressed as she had not been prepared in advance for this event. She actually thought that she had soiled herself poor thing. It might be worth having the talk if you haven't already done so, getting some products in and explaining what they are for and finding out about arrangements for sanitary provision etc in her school.
Apologies if you have done all this already!!
Unfortunately, the age of onset of menarche is falling in the western world with better diet etc so it would not be that unusual but you can always speak to your doctor for reassurance and advice on how to handle this and there is some good information out there on medical websites.

I was 9. Think my ma saw it coming and prepared me for it by explaining how she bled once a month, and it would happen to me to.

sounds like I will have to prepare for her having her first period then. No, I haven't already done this, she does know about periods but is not expecting that she may get them anytime now. Seems so early to me. Thanks

I has similar worries recently about DD (8) She's just started getting breasts, no other signs of puberty so far but I felt it was too early. I certainly didn't develop breasts until I was in secondary school.
Was assured it was all within normal age range and not to worry

I would go and see your gp. There are drugs that can be given to halt puberty that maybe worth it if she's isn't mature enough to cope.

My niece started at nine, so not unheard of at all. If she does start you need to talk to school about sanitary arrangements - at our school AFAIK they only have disposal bins in the year 5&6 toilets.

well I suppose she will be 9 in a few months. I didn't know you could hold back the onset of menstruation etc.

Feel a bit about it tbh. Maybe that's a bit stupid. She says she wants to stay a dc, she doesn't want to be a teenager yet. She was quite upset about the pubic hair. I bought some clearasil yesterday for the pimples but I honestly didn't envisage myself doing that for quite some time.

Thanks for the comments everyone

Might be worth a trip to the GP. I think I read somewhere that once girls start their periods they only grow one or two inches at most, so if she's average height for her age it might be worth trying to delay periods to give her a chance to grow a bit more.

However I think 8 is regarded as within the normal range nowadays

hadn't heard about that before either titch. I will have to google a bit tonight and see what comes up. Might go and see a GP after the holidays then

I think that the age below which puberty is regarded as 'precocsious' is seven, anything after that is medically 'normal', just quite early. The GP might be a bit to prescribe anything for her at that age.
I started my periods at 12, and 5'7". I stopped growing at 18, and 5'11", and I think my friends grew quite a bit as well??
I also know that although a lot of girls don't start developing until secondary school, more and more are beginning now, so it's not really really uncommon, although quite

I have 2 friends who daughters have been identified with precocious puberty, they were 7 or 8 (not sure exactly sorry.)

the main worry medically was something to do with height as the bones fuse after puberty so they stop growing so they often can be very short despite being tall at 7/8.(this is based on my menory of my chat with my firnd so probaly very inaccurate.)

One frinds dd had injections to prevent puberty onset for a while the other is just being monitored, but I'd take your dd to the GP if I were you, for a check and a chat.

yes, I think you're right. I will have to have her checked.

I googled and found out that it can in fact also be caused by a tumour which is not really what I wanted to hear.

Will see what the GP thinks. Thanks everyone.

They consider it precocious if it happens at age 7. My DD had breast buds at 9 and pubes at 9.5, periods start about 2 years later so it was 11.2 months in our case.

She was tall for her age at 9 through to 12 but stopped growing then and stayed at 5 ft 4. Other girls who went through puberty later overtook her in height.

I would see the doctor and prepare her now as it might not be long before she gets her periods but I don't think it's abnormal medically.

Thanks everyone for your comments/sharing your experiences.

Did you see a CP about it trefusis?

Getting a bit worried about this now.

i don't know if it an urban myth but i heard somewhere that periods start once a girl weighs around 7 7-a/2 stone? i may be talking out of my arse here though.

go to gp if at all worried, if they say "oh its normal" then you'll feel better, if for whatever reason its not, then they can take the appropriate course of action. either way - sorted.

that should read 7 to 7 and 1/2 stone, sorry.

my dd1 aged 9 1/2 has breast buds, quite alot of pubic hair and BO . all started at about 8 - i researched it and discussed it with paediatric colleagues and it is considered within normal limits if starts around 8 . interestingly in the usa they had moved the limit to 7 but there is now a large body of paeds over there who beleive this is wrong and the lower limitof normal for any secondary sexual characteristics should be 9 ! basically see your own gp but be prepared for them not to know or say it is within normal limits. my dd btw is not overweight or particularly tall .

Hi,

my dd is 8, will be nine in a few days and has a few pubic hairs as well as breast buds and the beginnings of a defined waist. She is very definitely hormonal.

She is fine and it is within normal range. Dd has been using deodorant for about 6-8 months now, I get her the stick type as it is the easiest to use.
I have also taught her to cleanse her face with a non scented cleanser and then moisturise afterwards as she had begun to get a few pimples. The daily routine has cleared all of those up now.
I've taught her to wash under arms and genitals daily as well. She baths or showers three times ish a week at the moment.

The only difficulty i sometimes have is that sje can get quite emotional at times about the changes that she is going through as only one of her friends is also changing but we just talk about it all and she is generally ok with it.

I've noticed my dd can get very emotional but I wondered if that was due to some other cause. For example she watched the Little PRincess on DVD and when the girl says her father had died, my dd was sitting there with tears streaming down her face and she sobbed and sobbed for hours afterwards. I was at a loss to understand it and she found it hard to get calm. So maybe that was hormonal too

Oh dear

Hadn't thought of deoderant. Haven't noticed body odour yet but since she has all the other signs, that won't take long I suppose

It can obviously affect emotions as well as behaviour. We thought the moods, tears and door slamming were down to bad behaviour, even though the signs were there you don't expect the teenage tantrums to happen so young.

The good news is that once she started she chilled out and is a very well behaved teen.