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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

10 year old nephew going through puberty?

13 replies

fran28 · 05/01/2012 03:06

My Nephew is ten years of age and my Sister is really worried that he is too young to be going through puberty? He keeps telling her that his private area is going hard a lot.

He is also very very sensitive mood wise at the moment...is going through puberty at this age abnormal? Should she be worried?

OP posts:

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 05/01/2012 03:16

It's early, but not so unusual these days. Nothing to worry about, but she might want to look at his internet usage.

Original poster

fran28 · 05/01/2012 03:20

he is very rarely on the internet...if he is... it is when there is someone there with him

OP posts:

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 05/01/2012 03:31

Look, boys can have erections from 3yo and under. (I recall my own DS1 humping the bed from about 6months, and also presenting a "big willy" at about 3) It doesn't mean they're interested in sex, it's just how they feel. If your nephew is also sporting facial/underarm/chest hair, he's approaching puberty.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 05/01/2012 03:33

And she should be monitoring internet useage regardless.

Original poster

fran28 · 05/01/2012 03:34

thanks....thats more or less what i told her but she asked me to post on here to get other peoples opinions

OP posts:

nooka · 05/01/2012 04:35

My ds has only really just started to go through puberty pretty recently. He is 12. I'd say the obvious signs were spots and greasy hair, plus the increased hairiness. Moodiness could be from a variety of factors, I've not noticed ds being any different from normal to be honest. He claims that he doesn't get stiffies, and was very offended when I asked him if he had wet dreams or masturbated (this was in context, with no friends present - dh doesn't really have those sort of conversations with the children).

cory · 05/01/2012 08:26

I remember my 4yo nephew delightedly telling his mum that his willy goes hard and then it goes soft. He was not going through puberty- it is a normal occurrence for young boys.

As for the moodiness, it sounds like pre-puberty moodiness, which again is a normal stage: my 11yo has been there for the last 2 years and he is nowhere near physical puberty.

SecretSquirrels · 05/01/2012 15:06

In girls I gather it can mean they stop growing but I don't think early puberty in boys is a problem.
DS1 certainly started at 10/11 but DS2 started at 13.
I'd suggest a book to explain the changes to boys bodies. I discovered that school sex education is very much about what happens to girls.
This is a good one.

OlympicEater · 05/01/2012 23:36

Is he a big child? I've heard (no idea where from or if there is any scientific basis for it) that 7 stone is a tipping point for the start of puberty.

DS was a similar age (and a tall child, with weight in proportion to his height) when he mentioned that he was started to get underarm hair and the mood swings started.

winnybella · 05/01/2012 23:41

Oh really? So if my not yet 10yo DS is almost 7 stone and very tall for his age, it means there's a good chance he'll be going through puberty any moment now?

Original poster

fran28 · 05/01/2012 23:50

thanks for all yer replys...i will show them to my sister..oh and he isnt a big child..quite small for his age...

OP posts:

SecretSquirrels · 06/01/2012 15:40

winnybella it's possible although 9 years old would be exceptionally early for a boy.
I believe that 7 stone barrier relates to girls who are unlikely to menstruate until they reach 7 stone.
It's not easy for boys who are very young to find their body changing with puberty while emotionally they are still a little boy.

ibizagirl · 15/01/2012 09:26

I don't know about boys but my dd in my opinion started puberty early. She has had acne since 6 or 7, had awful b.o under armpits, had armpit hair at 6, had pubic hair at 6 and also hairy legs. Thick hair. And a moustache and "sideburns". She started periods at 10. Doctors (male) didn't seem very concerned. I was worried but dd not bothered. She has always been a "big" girl, very tall and also overweight although she has a very good diet and does not have a sweet tooth and hates chocolate and puddings. So i wondered whether her weight was connected with the puberty etc and was told no but cut down on her chocolate bars! What chocolate bars? I was also asked whether we ate "mcdonalds every night" I was absolutely disgusted and livid with the doctor who i told that he doesn't know us or what we ate so shouldn't comment. When he asked dd what she like to eat she replied "sprouts" and doc said "i doubt that very much". We left his room and i immediately asked for dd to be taken off surgery list and we changed to another docs. Sorry i was going off the thread there. Anyway it seems to me that many think that early puberty in girls is iffy but not boys. Good luck.

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