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Original poster

early periods in primary age children

48 replies

williamsmummy · 28/02/2006 12:09

I have always been led to believe the early menstration in children from 9 upwards was becomimg more frequent these days because of two main factors,
high body weight, and herditory factors from mothers.

So far I have seen this to be true, most of the girls who are developing early are taller then their peer group and are well built.

My BIL insists that his soon to be 10yr old child is developing early. Hair growing and mood swings etc.
But this child is underweight, and pretty thin.
AM I wrong?
can early periods or puberty start early in a thin , ( normal height) child?
Has anyone come across this?

OP posts:

Original poster

williamsmummy · 28/02/2006 16:12

thanks for all your replies, interesting.
It would seem that its quite possible that BIL is correct.
which is not good news.

I am sure that the earlier you start having periods the smaller your window of chances of becoming pregnant as menapause many start early as well?
I am glad I started at 13yrs and 11 months!!
My grandmother didnt start having her menopause until she was in her early 50's and symptoms only lasted two years and that was it, finish!!
Thats what I am planning to go for!!!

OP posts:

jellyjelly · 28/02/2006 16:41

I was scared when i got my first one at 12 as had no sex education and hadnt been spoken to by my mum either. MY children will be told about this sort of thing early so they dont think they are dying.

SHHHH · 28/02/2006 18:55

apparently early puberty is due to diet etc. Not true how this is.? I started early at about 10. I have also read about the fact that the earlier you start them the earlier you finish them...sounds ideal but we seem to now also be part of a society where women are leaving it later to have children. So if they are leaving it later but started puberty earlier then can they say that time really is against them.?

I struggled to get pregnant (trying since 23, had x2 mc's and now got a 9mth old. I am now 27). TBH I thought I was having problems due to me starting puberty early and maybe I was "running out of eggs". Not sure how true this is.

I hope dd doesn't start as early as I did as I hated it (Still do). No child should deal with that.

SHHHH · 28/02/2006 18:58

BTW following on from jellyjelly, dh & I have also agreed that we will make sure dd knows all about periods when the time comes. We want her to know that "All princesses" go through it and how much of a good thing it is.This infact was dh's idea! How thoughful.

I suppose I was only told the basics by mum and felt it was something that meant I was growing up. An idea I hated. I still to this day hate them . We don't want our dd to feel the same way.

TambaTheDragonSlayer · 28/02/2006 18:59

I was 21 when mine started

SHHHH · 28/02/2006 19:06

s!!!...! Now that does sound ideal but then I suppose it gave you stress as you felt they were never going to arrive..?

TambaTheDragonSlayer · 28/02/2006 19:09

Not really as I had ds1 by then! Dont ask me how I got pregnant with no periods though (the gynea was just as shocked. Said I must have been about to start and caught straight away - well i was having a lot of sex! - was a newly wed )

I really enjoyed not having period pains and back ache and pmt - but they became regular about 6 months ago - damm!! Until then Id had a couple at 21 a couple at 22 and then that was it!

My sister was the same though - I think she was 19.

SHHHH · 28/02/2006 19:12

. So ..!! DH tries to tell me chill about them. Says that I should seem them as a sign that I am fertile and able to have babies.!!! Bless him..but then he doesn't have to have them every month! LOL!!!

fruitful · 28/02/2006 19:15

Tamba! Nice in retrospect I guess. Did you worry at the time?

I was 10. Nowhere near 7 stone, didn't stop growing taller till I was 14. Didn't grow any boobs for a good few years after either (not that they grew much then!). My mum had fortunately told me all about them, the problem was at school - no bins in the loos or anything.

SHHHH · 28/02/2006 19:19

I agree fruitful and no privacy either. The toilet doors were very low!
My mum spoke to my teacher & who suggested I use the staff toilets ..!!! Like I wanted everyone knowing.!!!!

nikkie · 28/02/2006 19:24

I started at 9 and stopped growing(height iwse ) at 11

alexsmum · 28/02/2006 19:34

i was 5'8" and 8 stone at 11, but didn't start till 12 i think.

TambaTheDragonSlayer · 28/02/2006 19:35

I remember being scared that I couldnt concieve and going to the doctors when I was 18 and being told that it was unlikely that I would get pg naturally.

I remember having to have a very serious conversation with my dp at the time who I was due to marry in a months time, having to ask him whether me without children would be enough... He said that I was all he ever wanted and anything else was a bonus and six months later I found out I was PG!

I used to pretend at school when I was 15 and 16 that I had period pains the same as everyone else. My mom had given me a sanitary towel to carry round with me just incase but it never happened.

Now I just want them to go away again! I was quite happy having my sons and no periods thank you very much

(The gyne thinks its having 2 children close together thats kick started my periods. Its only in the last few months Ive been allowed to use hormonal contraception etc)

lilianna · 28/02/2006 19:38

hi i started at 9 weighed no more than 5 stone and only stopped growing last year i'm 5foot 2inches.i'm nearly 20yrs.

jalopy · 28/02/2006 19:43

My sister started at 17.

lilianna · 28/02/2006 19:45

i also had to use staff toilets and found it embarressing to have to ask in class and awkward leaving the class infront of everyone as they always wanted to know where you went and why.
I was told by doctors that i wouldn't be able to have children due to my early start in periods and that my periods would stop at an early age.
I'm expecting my fourth child this summer but still worry that my periods will stop early and thats why my kids are so close together.

jac34 · 28/02/2006 20:05

I started less than a month after my 10th birthday.My Mum had told me nothing, but I went straight to her and she helped sort me out.She must have been very shocked.
She still hadn't told me about sex, and still didn't,just told me to stay away from men in dirty raincoats
I was very slight proberbly didn't weigh 7 stone,I was quite short as well(still only 5 foot 1 now), but my breasts were quite developed.

Flibbertygibbet · 28/02/2006 20:16

Gosh I'm surprised at all these 9 and 10 yr olds a generation or so ago! We had a sex education talk in yr6 at primary school, and I remember just about everyone being very shocked - I don't think anyone had been told at home. Most of my friends at school started periods when they were about 13. I didn't start til I was 15.

I feel quite sorry for these little girls having to cope with periods when they are only 9 or 10.

RachD · 01/03/2006 07:19

I didn't start mine till I was 14.
Only two of the girls in my class had started at theat stage.
It makes me very sad to think of girls who start at 9.
I mean, PART of the thing about having a period, is that you are ready - physically only - to have children.At 9 ?
Thus starting periods at 9 seems a shame.

Yes we must tell them about periods, and talk about bras.
It just seems sad that we have to do this at aged 8 , in preparation for the possibibility of starting periods at 9, rather than at , say aged 13.

sylvm · 01/03/2006 09:49

I was 10 when I started. I'm now 46 and going through "the change". I did have an ovary removed tho' so I guess I have less eggs than normal anyway. However, my Mum (born in 1920) also started at 10 and finished at 46, so maybe not.

DD1 started at 11 after about a year or so of developing. At this time she was one of the tallest in her class. She has hardly grown since then tho' and is now (at 14) only 5' 2" (I am 5' 6"). DD2 is 9 and I think beginning to develop boobs. She has always been heavier and taller than DD1 at the same age so I would expect dramatic changes in the next year. I had always thought that periods came after the development so I haven't told her anything yet. Part of the reason for this is she is SEN and although she is intelligent is very immature and also very poorly coordinated which won't help with the practicalities. OMG - looks like I better get talking to her .. so it doesn't come as a dreadful shock.

shimmy21 · 01/03/2006 10:01

10 years ago as a primary teacher in London I was horrified that the girls who had started were expected to use the massive old incinerators to burn their STs. Apparently sanitary bins were a health and safety risk because they might get knocked over I was so sorry for those poor kids who were not only coping with starting their periods earlier than their friends (and at an age when most of the boys didn't even know what periods were) they were having to carry a used towel across a crowded cloakroom and put it into a terrifying machine. Usually another kid would come and tell tales on them for pressing the buttons as well. Please tell me that primary schools have at least reached the 20th century now. (If not the 21st).

SHHHH · 06/03/2006 14:47

I'm 27 and I don't remember any incinerators....Always had "bins".

Mum2Ela · 06/03/2006 14:56

I think girls are starting puberty earlier, and will continue to, due to diet / hormones now found in food / plastic packaging we use to wrap food (clingfilm) etc. There is a chemical present in all these things that I can't pronouce, tho you find a warning on many foods as its found in those too (something like 'phlenolin', but a bit different).

These chemicals are also aiding the rise in certain cancers, and affecting fertility.

Not sure if anyone knows any more info about this?

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