Why are girls hitting puberty so early?

Researchers and physicians hypothesized about possible causes for the increase in early puberty, such as increasing rates of obesity; greater exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in food, plastics, and personal-care products; and stressful or abusive home environments.

What is the earliest a girl can hit puberty?

But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys. There's not usually any need to worry if puberty does not start around the average age, but it's a good idea to speak to your GP for advice if it starts before 8 or has not started by around 14.

Why is my daughter developing so early?

For most children, early puberty starts for no known reason. It can run in families. Sometimes there is a problem in the brain, such as an injury, a tumor or an infection. Early puberty can also be caused by a problem in the sex glands (testes or ovaries), the thyroid gland or the adrenal glands.

Why are girls starting puberty so early and what can parents do to support them?

Researchers followed 338 children from before birth to adolescence. They found that the daughters of mothers who had higher levels of chemicals, including diethyl phthalate, in their bodies during pregnancy experienced puberty at younger ages. Diethyl phthalate is often used in fragrances and cosmetics.

Why do girls go through puberty earlier than boys?

The higher estrogen levels could promote earlier onset of breast development and menarche in girls.

Girls hitting puberty earlier

Can a girl get her period at 7 years old?

Most girls start their periods when they're about 12, but they can start as early as 8, so it's important to talk to girls from an early age to make sure they're prepared.

What foods cause early puberty?

Higher total protein, animal protein and meat intake in children ages 3 to 7 have been associated with earlier onset of menstruation. High protein intake elevates IGF-1 levels and promotes growth, which could accelerate the onset of puberty.

Is it normal for a 4 year old to have pubic hair?

It's not uncommon for young children to show certain traits associated with puberty, including some pubic hair, underarm hair and the beginnings of breast development, said Dr. Paul Kaplowitz, who led the American Academy of Pediatrics report.

How can girls stop puberty early?

Most cases of early puberty cannot be prevented. Limiting your child's exposure to reproductive hormones from outside sources may prevent precocious puberty. These sources may include estrogen or testosterone creams, lotions, or other medications.

Is there a way to slow down puberty?

Sometimes, treatment of a related health problem can stop the precocious puberty. But in most cases, there's no other disease, so treatment usually involves hormone therapy to stop sexual development. The currently approved hormone treatment is with drugs called LHRH analogs.

Does early puberty mean you will be short?

For kids, early puberty can cause physical and emotional problems. They include: Short stature. While kids with precocious puberty are often tall for their age, some wind up short as adults.

Is early puberty harmful?

Among adolescent girls, early puberty is associated with more depressive disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders and disruptive behavior disorders. Of those disorders, "the clearest and most consistent link is between early puberty and depression in girls," Graber says.

Is early puberty healthy?

“Most instances of early puberty don't present a health risk to children, but it's worth contacting your pediatrician in case your family doctor feels it's important to run any tests,” Dr. Benjamin said. “It's rare, but there are cases where early puberty can be a sign of something that needs treatment.”

Are girls getting their periods younger?

The age at which most girls get their periods has fallen much more slowly since the '50s, but it remains a topic of medical interest and concern – among other reasons because earlier menarche conveys increased risk of breast cancer.

What are the 5 stages of puberty in a girl?

How long after pubic hair does period start?

Pubic hair – Once her pubic hair starts growing, you can expect her period to develop in one to two years. It may begin soft and thin but it will become courser and thicker towards the end of puberty.

Does dairy cause early puberty?

Fact: There is no scientific evidence that drinking milk causes early puberty. In the United States, girls are entering puberty at younger ages than they were in the first half of the 20th century. Researchers do not know the exact trigger for early-onset puberty, although it is likely influenced by many factors.

Is it normal for a 9 year old to have a period?

Most young people will have their first periods when they're between 11 and 14½, but anywhere from 9-16 years is considered normal. Periods are likely to start soon if your child has: had a major growth spurt.

Why does my 5 year old have her period?

If a girl starts menstruation at a young age, it's usually because the hormones in her body responsible for puberty are being produced earlier.

At what age girls should remove pubic hair?

The correct age to start hair removal for boys is 12 years and above and for girls 11 to 14 years (when puberty is achieved).

What age does pubic hair stop?

Pubic hair may extend out to their thighs, and some girls may have a line of hair up to their belly button. Most girls attain their peak height by age 16, but some may continue growing through age 20.

Do babies have hair on their balls?

Median age of development of hair in the scrotal area was 4.5 months (range, 3 to 7 months). Median age at presentation was 7 months (range, 4 to 10 months). On clinical examination, all 9 infants had more than 10 long pigmented hairs on the scrotum, except for 1 infant who had only 5 dark hairs.

Can too much sugar cause early puberty?

Consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks is also positively associated with the risk of earlier puberty [11, 12]. This suggests that a childhood diet is a modifiable factor and that the timing of pubertal onset and environmental exposure may be amenable to intervention.

Will early puberty affect height?

Short height.

Children with precocious puberty may grow quickly at first and be tall, compared with their peers. But, because their bones mature more quickly than normal, they often stop growing earlier than usual. This can cause them to be shorter than average as adults.

Can sugar cause early puberty?

Furthermore, the intake of both total sugar and added sugar within SSBs increased risk of early puberty in girls but not in boys. Conclusions: Sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with early puberty, and probiotic drinks appeared to mitigate this link.