What is precocious puberty?

Puberty is a stage in life that passes from childhood to adolescence. In the case of girls, this puberty usually manifests between eight and thirteen years of age, while in the case of boys, said puberty appears between nine and fourteen years of age. What is known as precocious puberty occurs before these ages and has a higher incidence in girls.

PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

Precocious puberty can occur in some children due to genetic factors, although other factors may also come into play, such as the type of diet or the physical exercise carried out by the boy or girl. It is common to speak of precocious puberty when certain sexual signs appear before the age of eight in the case of girls and before the age of nine in the case of boys.

SYMPTOMS OF PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

In the case of girls, precocious puberty is usually recognized in breast development along with early menstruation and accelerated growth. As for boys, the symptoms are an increase in the size of the testicles and penis along with a greater development of muscles, a change in voice and an increase in body hair.

CAUSES OF PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

In most cases, precocious puberty is due to genetic or environmental factors that influence the development of the boy or girl. In other cases it may be due to a certain abnormality in what is known as the pituitary gland. Another, although rare, cause is that the glands that make up the sex hormones in boys or girls start working earlier than normal.

DIAGNOSIS OF PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

When making the most reliable diagnosis of the aforementioned precocious puberty, the doctor can perform several types of activities:

• • Send a blood test that can show if there is a certain abnormality in the pituitary glands.

• • You can perform a detailed analysis of the child growth chart.

• An X-ray of the bones in the hand to find out if the child is older than he or she actually should be.

HOW TO TREAT PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

Once the boy or girl has been diagnosed with precocious puberty, it is important to start treatment to help the growth be as adequate as possible and the minor does not have problems with their height. For this, a series of drugs will be administered that stop the production of hormones in the pituitary gland.

However, experts on the subject point out that each case of precocious puberty is different since often said puberty is not due to any anomaly and it is the same, it is completely normal without damaging the growth of children. In any case, it is advisable for parents to be attentive to the symptoms since in the case of observing some of them in their children, it is important to go to the doctor.

Precocious puberty in addition to the obvious physical changes can cause psychological problems in the boy or girl since these changes are quite important and can make the child not yet ready for them. It can be the case of the arrival of menstruation in girls or the increase of pubic hair in the case of boys. In such cases it is important to give them as much support as possible so that they feel supported by their parents.