Precocious puberty: growth ahead of time

But in the case of girls, 10% leave the games early because your body undergoes changes that are ahead of what should be: start puberty.

"Puberty begins after 8 years in girls and 10 years in children," says pediatric endocrinologist Victor Mendoza.Ana Maria, mother of a 4 and a half years, began to notice the changes in the body of his daughter with great concern.

"It's not easy. It goes through your head all very serious disease and a host of social fears, "he says.At the Rossana small mammary glands will increase their go-Llosa and appeared in their armpits."I could not believe. I took her to the doctor right away and told me it was early puberty and that more was happening more often. The weight of my daughter had a lot to see. "

The girl was 10 kilos above his normal weight, according to a study published this month in the journal Pediatrics, overweight girls at 3 years are more likely to have precocious puberty.The study was conducted by Joyce Lee, a researcher at the University of Michigan."The first thing that appears in women is the increase in the mammary gland. In men an increase in the testis but not per-ceives to ten years. "That's why in early puberty girls is of particular concern."At school the younger girls would not play with it, looked very large. My daughter ended up isolated, "says Ana Maria.

In consultation with the pediatric endocrinologist is recommended to start a treatment to stop the characteristics of the development until the age was the right to continue the process.

Victor Mendoza

Pediatric Endocrinologist

What are the underlying problems that could cause early puberty?

"The main problem that must be very attentive is a tumor that may be presented to the brain and conditions that are present very early puberty. Tumors of the ovary or adrenal gland.What are the consequences of precocious puberty in children."The physical and psychosocial consequences for children are not psychologically prepared to address any changes in your body, the hormonal influence, this leads to their withdrawal, including depression. Personality disorders or anxiety. Tasks imposed on them should not do in schools because it is the biggest or the highest. Height was quickly stopped, it is the normal growth spurt of puberty, but if a girl was able to grow to 1.60 will remain in 1.40. The third consequence is the increased risk of abuse due to early development. "What is the treatment to be followed in such cases?"They should be evaluated by your pediatrician, who made some preliminary studies to be monitoring him. Then sent to a pediatric endocrinologist, which makes the final approach and treatment to stop the background puberty and look if there is a physical problem: tumor, hypothyroidism or metabolic diseases. Hypothyroidism is the decreased production of hormones by the thyroid gland and can cause an activation of the pituitary and this means that there is a stimulus on the gonads. "

• Testes from 4 to 3 inches or greater than 2.5 cm in length before the 8.5 years.

• Pubic P2 stage before age 9.

• Pubic P3 stage before 10 years.

In girls:

• breast lump or M2 before 8 years.

• Pubic or P3 before 8.5 years.

• Menarche before the age of 9.5 years.

Diagnostic Criteria

Bone age greater than chronological age.

Age size greater than chronological age.

Reactive GnRH Test LH greater than 5 IU / l.

Estradiol greater than 8 pg / ml, testosterone.

Ovarian volume greater than 2 cm3.Slow the emergence of secondary sexual characters.Delay epiphyseal closure.

Preventing psychosocial problems.

Prevent menstrual bleeding in girls.

Treating the underlying cause.Pediatric Endocrinologist"The consequences of precocious puberty are twofold: firstly, to acquire secondary sexual characters and the fullness of an adult organism at an age where no one has the right mental preparationOn the other hand, children who enter puberty earlier than normal have a growth spurt too early, they are children too high for some years. But its final size ends up being low, because they are growing for fewer years than other childrenDepending on the age at which puberty occurs early and the speed with which the sexual characters are developed, it will make the decision about whether or not to administer drugs to slow the progression of the picture.To progress rapidly, the remedial measures be taken immediately, whereas if it appears as insidious and does not cause psychological disorders may be at keeping a watchful waiting. "