Puberty hits between the ages of eight and l0 in girls and nine and l2 for boys and is the time when they develop physically and emotionally into young women and men. Puberty is considered ‘precocious,’ or too early, if it occurs in girls before the age of eight and before nine for boys. It can be physically challenging and emotionally difficult and might be a sign of underlying health problems. Signs of precocious puberty in girls include:
- Breast development
- Rapid height growth
- Growth of pubic or underarm hair
- Onset of menstruation
- Acne
At the Health & Fertility Centre for Women, medical evaluation is done to exclude serious conditions such as hormone disorders, tumours, or brain abnormalities. Early sexual development also deserves h evaluation because it may induce early bone maturation and reduce the eventual height your child will reach by adulthood. Unfortunately, the cause of precocious puberty is often not known but medication is prescribed to delay further development.
