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Original poster

Early Puberty

17 replies

petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 14:47

My DD is 8 (nine in october) and has been showing signs of puberty for a few months now - breast buds, cramps, vert emotional and weight gain around her tummy (which she is very anxious about/aware of).

Today she had some bleeding. I was fairly relaxed about the other changes and have talked to her extensively but really wasn't expecting her periods to start. I realise she may get no more bleeding for months now but, on the advice of a gp friend, I will take her to our doctor for blood tests this week.

I just wondered if any of you have any experience of this and could share your stories. She's such a 'little girl', still very young in her ways and she's so upset it breaks my heart. She doesn't want this to happen yet Sad

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Original poster
petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 15:16

bump

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pinkfrocks · 23/08/2015 16:55

No advice really but yes, she is very young- you will find advice about it online if you google but do see your dr. You should also talk to her form teacher about it because she may have a period at school or need to dispose of sanitary protection and some schools are not geared up for children in year 3 (?) if they need this and she may want to miss sport/ swimming etc.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 21:38

Thank you for replying. It was only a little bleeding so there may be no more for a while but she is adamant that she doesn't want it to happen but I've tried explaining theres not a lot we can do.

Some websites mentioned medication that can slow it down so I wondered if anyone had experience of that. She takes part in lots of sports including twice weekly swimming so I am worried how she will cope with that - I am not ready to introduce tampons...

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Original poster
petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 21:39

(she is just going into year 4 - male form tutor) (Obvioulsy I realise he would be fine with it but she is mortified!)

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dancemom · 23/08/2015 21:50

Medication can have side effects so would avoid if possible.
It is young but also inevitable.
I would see the GP, get her some good books and support her through it.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 22:21

Thank you DanceMom - That is my feeling, I guess i need to chat to the gp and stop reading stuff on the internet about it effecting adult height etc!

She's a fairly anxious/senstive soul anyway so is finding it hard but at least she is really open when talking to me so i hope that continues. It clicks into place the fact that she has gained some weight on her tummy recently and been really bothered by it - I have been treading so carefully so as not to kick start an eating disorder and now, bam, this…. I left her upstairs tonight playing with her Sylvanian Families..

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dementedpixie · 23/08/2015 22:25

She is within the normal range for puberty although is at the younger end. I would imagine they would just monitor at this stage rather than try to halt it.

dementedpixie · 23/08/2015 22:31

precocious puberty is when it starts before the age of about 7 or 8 (different websites seem to differ between the ages) whereas your dd is nearly 9. It is early but not worryingly early

Original poster
petitdonkey · 23/08/2015 22:35

THank you pixie - I had read that but it just still feels so little… As dancemon says, it's inevitable

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Aji · 23/08/2015 22:57

I could have written your post, OP!

Dd is the same age as your ddr, but she has been seeing a consultant for a few years. She has premature adrenarche, which is a sensitivity to the sex hormones, but not true precocious puberty. She is very sensitive to her recent weight gain around her tummy, although she is in the normal range for height and weight. She has also developed a voracious appetite, and has been in tears about always feeling hungry but not wanting to put on weight. It breaks my heart. I have cleared the junky food out of the house and giving her larger portions at mealtimes, giving her bananas, crackers etc. if she is still hungry. Like you, I don't want to trigger an eating disorder. We looked at a book recently on puberty, and it mentioned girl's need around 2200 calories when going through this stage.

The consultant reckons she will start her periods within the year, and I will try to speak to her form teacher about it when she goes back to school. He was very against trying to halt it, as he said at this stage it can mess up puberty. I worried about her growth being halted, but he said she will not stop growing until a couple of years after puberty stops.

One of my friends has gone for the injections to halt her daughter's puberty, starring from when she was 8. I can pm you the email address of her consultant if you like, he is a specialist in this area.

I don't know what to do, tbh. She will be young, if it was a year earlier I would probably take action, but she is now on the young side of normal.

Aji · 23/08/2015 22:58

Bloody autocorrect - girls, not girl's!

Aji · 23/08/2015 22:59

And a couple of years after puberty starts, not stops! Sorry.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 24/08/2015 08:31

Aji - thank you so much for sharing. I know its irrational but i think if she was going into year 5 now it wouldbt seem so dramatic but only going into year 4 seems very young (and she is very young in her manner too). I hadn't worried too much about the other changes but now I feel bad that I didn't pay them enough attention. She has always received a lot of comments about the way she looks (I know it's biased but she's very beautiful) so much so that a) I worry for dd2 who doesn't get as much attention/comments and b) that it will make her vain to conscious of her looks.

The result has been many tears about the weight gain on her tummy (she is self conscious in her swimming costume and ballet leotard) but I also now realise that the tears will partly be from her raised hormone levels.

I don't think that I want to take the route of injections (she will be 9 in October) but am going to try to see a paediatrician in london this week. Guess I just have to hold her hand and help her through it all Sad

So nice to be able to 'talk' about it.

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Aji · 26/08/2015 00:42

Hi PetitDonkey,
Yes, I remember how much it helped to talk when I first started to worry about Dd (she was 5). Mumsnet kept me calm, especially after consulting Dr Google!

My main worries are around halted growth (I don't like being as short as I am, and Dd currently just past my shoulder) and whether there is any increased risk of PCOS. Think I am going to get a second opinion because of this. Our consultant says just to observe, but I will regret not taking action if the above turn out to be true and I had a chance to delay her puberty.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 27/08/2015 14:55

Just to update you - I chose to take her for a private appointment with a paediatrician. It was a good decision as DD was in a real state but the doctor was so lovely and had all the time in the world to talk to us/ I felt like I was having a bit of a coded conversation with her (so we didn't scare DD) so I am looking forward to her email which she has promised this week. She took blood and we wait for the results of that before we decide what's next.

Poor you and your DD having to go through it aged 5 - I am worried enough at 8. I am also concerned about halted growth but am trying not to get ahead of myself and will wait for results of blood work.

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Ilikesweetpeas · 28/08/2015 07:04

I am getting concerned about my DD who is almost 8. Please let us know that the paediatrician says. Hope your DD is enjoying the end of her summer holidays!

Original poster
petitdonkey · 28/08/2015 12:15

I have just had the blood test results that indicate that she is not going through early puberty. The doctor said that she is likely to continue to show some signs of puberty but that we have no need to worry - she may be an early developer but nothing to be concerned about.

sweetpeas - I would really urge you to pop to your GP if you have concerns - that was such an easy blood test and means that I can now rest a bit easier.

aji - i hope that your DD is okay - do get a second opinion if that is your gut feeling xx

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