Precocious Puberty Overview
Learn About Precocious Puberty
Puberty is the time when a person's sexual and physical characteristics mature. Precocious puberty is when these body changes happen earlier than normal.
Pubertas praecox
Puberty usually begins between ages 8 and 13 for girls and ages 9 and 14 for boys.
The exact age a child enters puberty depends on a number of factors, including family history, nutrition, and sex.
Most often there is no clear cause for precocious puberty. Some cases are due to changes in the brain, genetic problems or certain tumors that release hormones. These conditions include:
- Disorders of the testicles, ovaries, or adrenal glands
- Tumor of the hypothalamus (hypothalamic hamartoma)
- Tumors that release a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
In girls, precocious puberty is when any of the following develop before age 8:
- Armpit or pubic hair
- Beginning to grow faster
- Breasts
- First period (menstruation)
- Mature outer genitals
In boys, precocious puberty is when any of the following develop before age 9:
- Armpit or pubic hair
- Growth of the testes and penis
- Facial hair, often first on the upper lip
- Muscle growth
- Voice change (deepening)
Depending on the cause, treatment for precocious puberty may include:
- Medicines to stop the release of sexual hormones, to help delay puberty. These medicines are given as a shot (injection). They will be given until the normal age of puberty.
- Surgery to remove a tumor.
Children with early sexual development may have psychological and social problems. Children and adolescents want to be the same as their peers. Early sexual development can make them appear different. Parents can support their child by explaining the condition and how their provider plans to treat it. Talking to a mental health worker or counselor may also help.
Ursula Kaiser is an Endocrinologist in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Kaiser is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Precocious Puberty. Her top areas of expertise are Precocious Puberty, Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism, Hypogonadism, Pituitary Tumor, and Orchiectomy.
Lawrence Silverman is a Pediatric Endocrinologist in Morristown, New Jersey. Dr. Silverman is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Precocious Puberty. His top areas of expertise are Precocious Puberty, Pediatric Growth Hormone Deficiency, Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), and Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS).
Hae Lee practices in Suwon, Republic of Korea. Ms. Lee is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Precocious Puberty. Her top areas of expertise are Precocious Puberty, Idiopathic Short Stature (ISS), Short Stature (Growth Disorders), and Congenital Hyperinsulinism.
Children who go through puberty too early may not reach their full height because growth stops too early.
See your child's provider if:
- Your child shows signs of precocious puberty
- Any child with early sexual development appears to be having problems in school or with peers
Adult prescription medicines and dietary supplements that contain hormones should not be consumed by children.
Your child should maintain a healthy weight.
Summary: Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia (PFD) is a sporadic disorder which affects multiple sites in the skeleton. The bone at these sites is rapidly resorbed and replaced by abnormal fibrous tissue or mechanically abnormal bone. PFD may occur alone or as part of the McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS), a syndrome originally defined by the triad of PFD, cafe-au-lait pigmentation of the skin, and precocious puber...
Summary: This study will evaluate and gather information in patients with genetic causes of too much androgen (male-like hormone) in order to better understand the effects of too much androgen and describe problems associated with it. Too much androgen in childhood, if untreated, results in rapid growth and early puberty with early cessation of growth and short stature in adulthood. Too much androgen in ad...
Published Date: August 05, 2023
Published By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Cooke DW, DiVall SA, Radovick S. Normal and aberrant growth in children. In: Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 25.
Garibaldi LR, Chemaitilly W. Disorders of pubertal development. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 578.