Six year old developing pubic hair

[Concernedmum25]

Name changed for obvious reasons.

Beside myself with worry. Discovered that my beautiful, sweet 6 year old girl has started developing a few pubic hairs below. She told me today they were annoying her. Didn't believe her as you cannot visibly see them unless up close but they are there.

She is healthy, tall for her age. One of the tallest in her class but not overly so. Has an active lifestyle. I'm just so worried about her, 6 is so young to be going through this.

Have contacted the GP and am waiting to hear back. Does anyone have any experience with this?

This happened to a friends daughter and periods started at 8. She ended up having some drug /hormone to halt puberty till older

Sounds like precocious puberty/hormone imbalance. It's rare but not unheard of. I'd make an appointment to see your GP as soon as you can and you should get referred to an endocrinologist/paediatrician.

It must be very worrying, but this does happen to some children and there are things doctors can do - specialist nurses may also be of help in explaining this to your child in an age-appropriate way.

Get basic blood checked. Vitamin D deficiency can be one cause of precocious puberty.

Is there a way to reverse it?

This is what puberty blockers are for, to delay this process. Take her to the GP and discuss it. Maybe without DD first?

If you're on hrt check she isn't accidentally being exposed to it

Probably not relevant but are you on HRT gel? I read somewhere about very young girls experiencing precocious puberty after regularly touching their Mums who had applied oestrogen.

No, not on HRT.

I'm so worried 😔

Google 'premature adrenarche' and see if that fits. It definitely isn't always true puberty. This may well be where it stops until a more typical age. The most common first sign of puberty is usually breast budding. 🤞

Thank you. Just googled it and the signs do match my daughter. I'm just hoping it's a slow process and she's not about to hit full blown puberty 😔 have contacted the doctor but won't hear back now till next week

Hi OP, please try not to worry too much.

I would ask a referral to a paediatrician (or go private). A relative’s child had similar symptoms and it turned out she had early adrenarche, which means early maturation of the adrenal glands that causes physical signs like pubic hair, underarm hair, body odor, and mild acne. It’s not the same as early puberty and breast development or periods shouldn’t start earlier than usual.

She had a blood test and they x-rayed the bones of her hand, so nothing invasive or frightening needed to be done in order to diagnose.

Even if it turns out to be early puberty, there is medication available to delay it.

Thank you, that's really reassuring

Please don’t worry, my daughter had premature adrenarche, it’s not been an issue for her at all, she had a few tests at the hospital, they’ll check for any underlying pathology but that’s extremely unlikely. She’ll just need to take good care of her personal hygiene as they start getting sweaty and hairy. No eostrogen involved so boobs and periods will arrive as normal.

Totally cross posted with @Vulpecula!

Adrenarche and true, central, oestrogen driven puberty are separate processes I think. It's much more likely to be her adrenal glands firing up a little early than it is to be precocious puberty. If she has no breast budding, it's unlikely anything to worry about, but it's good you're getting it checked out. Premature adrenarche isn't massively uncommon and is completely benign.

Thank you so much for sharing. I noticed a few months back that sometimes she has mild body odour but thought nothing of it as it isn't every day - just in humid weather or after excess exercise but we have started a morning routine of a full body wash. Just wasn't expecting more development at this age 😔

I got my daughter some fussy deodorant, she chose the fragrances herself, Parma violet was a big hit, she saw it as a treat!!

Thank you, I'll look into this.

My friend's daughter was the same, she has her first period two days before her 10th birthday. She's been fine, I shouldn't worry.