Precocious puberty in girls

[Elizaveta]

My dd is 7, nearly 8 and I've noticed she has what appears to be breast buds. Surely she's too young for this already? She is quite tall for her age (4'9") if that has any bearing on it.

She also told me tonight that she had hairs on her private parts. I then had a look and she does have some light coloured hairs.

I am going to take her to the GP this week but am I overreacting doing that? I was a late starter with all this, I didn't have my first bra till I was 14 and my periods didn't start until I was 16.

Hi - wouldnt worry too much, I remember when... the night before I was going on brownie camp aged 8.5 I discovered 'a lump' was convinced I was not going to come back from the camp alive! (Twas only the start of things to come) then ent on not to deveop as such till about 11 and didnt start periods till 14. Wouldnt worry hugely but make sure dd is thoroughly reassured throughout in the nicest possibe way! horses x

i dont know if its true or not,but i was told that weight has something to do with when girls start puberty.it starts when they get to 6 stone or something?

anyway,my dd1 is 8.5 and tall for her age,and she has defo started puberty.it does seem to get earlier with every generation.the average age to start periods is about 11 or 12 now,i think,whereas it was 14 when i was young.

Hi, I really freaked when my ds shouted out that dd had hairs down there, at age 9, in fact went off and sobbed, then looked it up in 3 child development books (am child support worker) and she was spot on actually.

Your dd is also on the right lines, I guess she is on the early side of normal, but still normal.

Is shocking how much earlier tyhan us girls develop now. I didn't get my period til 14, so it feels very young.

However, after the initial buds and sprouting (!) it does all seem to slow right down for a few years, she probably won't carry on developing at this rate at all.

Hope this helps!

I was the same at a similar age. Started periods at 10.

I found it hard emotionally (I was emotionally ready for it all and not entirely sure what was going on).

Didn't have any medical issues though.

I would definately second the reassurance thing.

I was tall for my age as well - was 5'5" by the age of 11 (am only an inch taller now) and I think it can be triggered by weight.

Generations where people in general are better fed and healthy have earlier ages of puberty - hence why Victorians went through puberty later than early modern girls/women.

'most girls start to menstruate between ages 10 and 15 years. The average age is 12, but every girl's body has its own schedule. Although there's no one right age for a girl to get her period, there are some clues that menstruation will start soon. Typically, a girl gets her period about 2 years after her breasts start to develop. Another sign is vaginal discharge fluid (sort of like mucus) that a girl might see or feel on her underwear. This discharge usually begins about 6 months to a year before a girl gets her first period.'

from this site.

There is huge variation. My mother started her periods at age 10 in 1939. I was 13. My daughters were 13 and 14 respectively.

oh no don't take her to the gp. my gran brought me up and she did just the same. made me feel like a total freak.

my daughter weighs 6.5 stone is almost 13 and flat as a pancake - no signs at all of puberty! she looks so silly next to her friends!

definitly sounds like puberty elizaveta. take her to the gp and insist on a referral.
i dont know if it will be classed as precocious as she is almost eight. but the tall for her age is definitly a [ointer, it needs to be sorted to prevent adult shortness and i think loss of bone density or something.

there is a little girl in ds's class, aged 6.5 or maybe even less. her parents noticed these same symptoms a year ago. she is having treatment and doing really well on it. but insist on seeing a specialist

Thanks, everyone. She weighs 4st8 which for her height isn't bad I don't think. She's no waif but she isn't fat either, if that makes sense.

I suppose I was in denial about it when I first noticed a couple of weeks ago but there's no denying the buds are there. I will take her to the doctor for reassurance and to get her checked out. Surely some simple blood tests could determine it right?

i have no idea. and tbh, before this happened to child in ds#s class, i would have said the same as everyone else . but talkking to her mom mad eme realise the potential problems it can cause. the puberty itself shoudlnt really be too much of a problem. its the height and the bone density she said the doctors were worried about.
please please please get it checked. and insist on someone who knows what they are looking at. not a gp registrar who has only just started his gp training.

My ds is aged 8 and I have noticed a few girls in his class with what appear to be breast buds - they are slightly heavier children though. DD is 10 and had her sex education talk this year at school. The headmistress explained that they give the talk at this stage as they have had girls menstruating at a younger age.

Hope you get some reasssurance from your GP

eliza, have you been to the gp yet?

Went to the GP today who said that because dd is nearly 8 it's all ok. It's the lower end of normal but that because dd is tall, it's likely why she's an early starter. I have to say I don't feel that reassured. I do worry about her growth spurt being too soon and causing other problems. But what more can I do?

DON"T take her to GP!

Was she with you at the GPs or did you go alone?

I don't understand why you would take her to GP, what do you epect them to do. Drugs? Make her feel not not normal?

Yes you are over reacting.

As imnot27 says it will be gradual from here. You have been given some good advice here in MN,

geta secondopinion.perhaps go without herwith you.
or perhapsfinda website and phone them up. there must be help groups.
i can find out frommy friends ifyou like

i;mnot beinga scaremongerere. yes, agreeit is on the lower side ofnormal.but i'd personally rather know that for certain. because if it isprecocious, then she wontstay tall for the restof her life=.shewillin factbe shorter than agverage.

There are bone density issues in relation to precocious puberty, that is one reason I took her. Another reason is that I have a pituitary tumour which has caused me multiple problems throughout my life. And, finally, because if she does have her growth spurt too early, it can mean her adult height won't be what it would normally be expected to be.

And if it was found that she was starting now, they could give her drugs, yes, to delay the onset or perhaps it's just she needs to be watched more closely. I agree the advice given on her has been good but ultimately I was concerned so I took her and don't regret it.

Precocious puberty just googled it, to find out more. Sorry that I sounded harsh before, but it reminded me of an similar situation in RL.

One of the parents I know, took their dd to see a doctor about the same age as your dd when she had buds. She told me this at the time. Was told all normal. Three years on, she is no larger, infact my dd has always been taller than her dd. Her buds are no bigger and as far as I know, she has not started her periods (because the girls do know in the class who have).

I found it difficult for the girl at the time, as the mother would openly say things about her shape infront of her and my dds, like she was comparing and odd!

Hence over reaction. Glad she is ok.