How young is too young now for puberty?

[avoschmado]

I've posted on another thread about my dd. She's 8y7m, year 4 and with very noticeable breast buds requiring crop tops. She uses deodorant daily too. We've been referred to a paediatric endocrinologist though different literature conflicts between 8 and 9 being the cutoff of "normal".

I was 11.5, year 7, when I started my period and naively thought dd would follow me. Now I'm expecting it within the next 12months which is terrifying. She's just a little girl.

She's very tall, 91st centile, but really skinny, 9th centile. In readiness for the consultants referral, the GP told us about the puberty blockers which ironically can cause vaginal bleeding.

So what I'm asking really I suppose is from breastbuds, how long did your dd have before periods starting?

I too am very tall and relatively slim, and I started wearing crop tops in year 4 (I was obviously much skinnier then!). I then got my period when I was in year 7 at 11 years old.

I had breast buds aged 8 but didn't start my periods until I was 12. I was also very tall and skinny. My mother was surprised my periods didn't start sooner, given the breast buds and later, pubic hair, and put it down to a lack of body fat.

DD was 8 when she started puberty, also v tall and skinny. Periods started around her 11th birthday.

I'm surprised you've been referred really. DD who is 11.4years has just started her periods very similar age to what I was. Remembering she is the same height as me 5ft4in and also on the 91st for her age.

She had breast buds at the same age as your DD and took a while to develop into small breasts then, she developed pubic hair all 12months before starting her periods. This I believe is well within the normal range, anything over 8 isn't classed as early I believe. Which is why I surprised you've been referred.

My DD started with breast buds at 9 and is now 11 and there is very little breast tissue still. Not really noticeable unless in very tight vest tops.

She developed pubic hair about a year later but is yet to start periods at nearly 12. It's been a much slower process than I expected.

I had breast buds at 9 and my hips noticeably widened. I didn't start my period until I was 13.

Puberty blockers are really strong medicine, to be avoided where possible. There are lots of cases in the states against the pharmaceutical companies as the long term side effects can be challenging to live with.

Good luck! She’ll probably have mood swings you won’t be anticipating yet too. The good luck is sincere, not sarcastic.

Does anyone know why this is happening to our girls? There has to be loads of hormones in our foods or something for such a drastic change in only 30 yrs.

I'm astonished you've been referred unless there are other issues. Year 4 is well within normal. Do not consider puberty blockers.

Does anyone know why this is happening to our girls?

I think you'll find it's always happened...

I started developing at 10, breast buds and under arm hair etc. I was tiny, skin and bone.

I didn't start my periods until I was 13. Your daughter may still have a few years to go yet.

Titchy really? Because only one girl in my primary started her period and we were all shocked, it definitely wasn’t normal. And she was the oldest of us so 11, nearly 12. When I started boarding school then only a couple of us had started and we were all 11/12/13.

i started my periods 3 months after my 9th birthday. i also had B cup breasts by year 6. my mum was very worried and took me to a couple of different doctors but they just said whilst it was unusual it was normal. it was a little scary dealing with periods at such a young age but i quickly got used to it.

@titchy really? I'm interested to hear why not. I've read that it can increase the chance of pcos and endometriosis when older but that the plus points is can strengthen bones and obviously prolong her childhood days a bit more. I'm totally on the fence about what is right. I want nature to do its thing but she's the only one of her friends at this stage and she's a young one for her year (May). The thought of her having her period so young just seems awful. I'm 30 and they're still awful!

Have a look at the stats but I didn’t think 8 was considered too early,
Weight is one trigger of early puberty. She isn’t overweight but since she is tall that may be it.

I should add so to not dripfeed sorry. She's a bean pole. No bum at all and not an ounce of fat on her. She fits into her 4yo sister's shorts and skirts happily and we struggle to find trousers to fit as she's so thin but tall. She's a gymnast so is always in a leotard which is making her self-conscious. All of this makes the breast buds (when do they become breasts ) are really noticeable.
I think that's why she's been referred to endocrinology perhaps. Early Puberty is more common in girls who are more overweight where as dd is on the 9th centile.

I think 8 and over is considered in considered normal for girls to start their periods these's days. Apparently there is a strong link between a girls weight and menses.

I started my period at 11.5. One daughter started her period at the same age, the rest between 12 and 14 years. Youngest DD turns 12 on Sunday and hasn't started hers yet and considering she is utterly tiny I don't expect her to anytime soon.

"Does anyone know why this is happening to our girls? "

They are better fed and growing bigger and stronger. Puberty is triggered when the body gets to a certain size > it doensn't know what age it is.

My DD started puberty 8.5 for sure > breast buds, hormones obviously flying around. She has always been tall and slender but not skinny - so obviously her body thought rightho time to start.

She got her first period when she just turned 10, in the summer hols before year 6.

She has coped just fine and is now year 7.

I worry about my DD2 who is not nearly as mature but heading down the same route (she's 9).

DH family are all very tall, and also big and strong, they take after him, they're just built to a different scale! Mind you I was tall as a girl, started periods in first year of seconday school, and then I wasn't tall any more. This part worries me a bit > they both look like they were destined to be tall, but apaprently you stop growing within 2 years of starting your period on average. This happened to me looking back > I went from beign one of the tallest through junior school to everyone overtaking me! DD1 has always had big hands and feet like a puppy, she has size 8 now, but is only 5'2, I really hope she kind of fulfills how tall she was "supposed" to be rather than stopping growing due to periods and being short with massive feet > kind of like sideshow Bob :D (Don't tell her I said that obviously!).

OP she wasn't the only one having periods in Yr 6 - it's quite common now I think your daughter will be fine. Without checking NHS I think it' signs of puberty before 8 that you flag it?

I started my period at 8, a month before my 9th birthday.

"Early Puberty is more common in girls who are more overweight where as dd is on the 9th centile."

DD1 is tall and slim but not skinny.

It is related to overall body mass generally but by no means is it very unusual for kids who aren't overweight to be starting early.

I wouldn't think that is especially early - I'm mid-fifties and started my periods when at junior school and I was by no means the first one. I took my own ds to the gp as he started puberty (body hair, acne etc) at 9 and I was told he was at the early end of normal, so no referral needed.

When I was at primary, plenty of girls had breasts and pubic hair and several started their periods in year 6. This was 30 years ago.

And my dd isn't overweight at all but is tall. 99th centile for height but 50th for weight. At 11 she is as tall as me, with longer legs and bigger feet but whippet thin. Anything after 8 is normal.

Thank you for all of your thoughts. I'm hoping we'll see the consultant early in the new year in a specific clinic entitled "early puberty" so it's obviously a thing. I'm very keen to hear what he has to say.

Appointment is 4th January. Go NHS!

So we saw a paediatric endocrinologist consultant today after just a two week wait on the NHS!. (Anyone in the south east, I totally recommend him; he's a gem). After a full examination, he has concluded precocious puberty. Dds symptoms are breast buds and need for deodorant but she is exceedingly skinny. She is going to have an Ulna xray, an ultrasound of the ovaries and womb etc and what seems like a billion blood tests - a full health MOT if you will. The consultant discussed puberty blockers. She would have them for 18months and then periods would start 6-12m after that, ie freezing her development for 2-2.5years. We'll await the test results before making a full decision but he said 2/3 of patients take the treatment.