Symptoms, causes, and consequences of premature puberty & bull; hello healthy

Early puberty or often called precocious puberty is a period of puberty that appears at an age younger than the minimum limit, namely before the age of 8 years in girls, and before 9 years in boys. According to two studies from the United States, the onset of puberty can be as early as 7.7 years in girls and as early as 7.6 years in boys. To find out more about precocious puberty, let's have a look below in full.

Signs and symptoms of early puberty

As reported by MayoClinic, the signs and symptoms of precocious puberty before the age of 8 in girls and 9 in boys are as follows:

Signs and symptoms in girls:

• Breast growth
• First menstruation

Signs and symptoms in boys

• Enlarged testicles and penis
• Facial hair (usually the mustache is the first to grow)
• The sound becomes more "bass"

Signs and symptoms that occur in both boys and girls

• Pubic or armpit hair
• Fast growth
• Acne
• Adult-like body odor

If your child experiences the above signs and symptoms, make an appointment with your pediatrician for further evaluation.

Causes of early puberty

In order to understand what causes precocious puberty in some children, you must first know what causes puberty to appear. This process involves the following steps:

• The brain starts processing. The part of the brain makes a hormone known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH).
• The pituitary gland releases more hormones. Gn-RH causes the pyituitary gland (a tiny bean-shaped gland at the base of the brain) to release more hormones. These hormones are referred to as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
• Sex hormones are produced. LH and FSH cause the ovaries to produce hormones that are involved in the growth and development of female sexual characteristics (estrogen) and the testes to produce hormones that are responsible for the growth and development of male sexual characteristics (testosterone).
• Physical changes occur. The production of estrogen and testosterone causes the physical changes of puberty.

Why this process starts earlier in some children depends on whether they have central precocious puberty or peripheral precocious puberty.

Central precocious puberty

In central precocious puberty, the puberty process begins too quickly. The pattern and timing of the steps in the puberty process are fairly normal. For most children with this condition, there is no underlying medical problem and no identifiable reason for precocious puberty.

In rare cases, this may also be a cause of central precocious puberty, such as:

• Tumors in the brain or spinal cord (central nervous system).
• Defects in the brain from birth, such as excessive fluid buildup (hydrocephalus) or a cancerous tumor (hamartoma).
• Radiation to the brain or spinal cord.
• Injury to the brain and spinal cord.
• Syndrome McCune-Albright (genetic disease that affects bones and skin color, leading to hormonal problems).
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a group of genetic disorders involving abnormal hormone production by the adrenal glands).
• Hypothyroidism (a condition of the thyroid gland that doesn't produce enough hormones).

Peripheral precocious puberty

The estrogen or testosterone in your child's body causes this type of precocious puberty. Peripheral precocious puberty occurs without the involvement of the hormone (Gn-RH) in the brain that normally triggers the onset of puberty. Instead, the main cause is the release of estrogen or testosterone into the body due to a problem with the ovaries, testes, adrenal glands or the pituitary gland.

The causes of the occurrence of perifier precocious puberty in girls and boys, namely:

• Tumors in the adrenal or pituitary glands that secrete estrogen or testosterone.
• McCune-Albright syndrome
• Exposure to external sources of estrogen or testosterone, such as creams or ointments.

In girls, this condition can also be associated with:

• Ovarian cysts
• Ovarian tumor

In boys, perifier precocious puberty is also caused by:

• Tumors in cells that make sperm (germ cells) or in cells that make testosterone (Leydig cells).
• Gene mutation (a rare disorder known as gonadrotopin-independent familial sexual precocity, it is caused by a defect in the gene that results in the initial production of testosterone in males, usually between the ages of 1-4).

Complications that can arise due to early puberty

Possible complications of precocious puberty are:

1. Short body

Children with precocious puberty can grow quickly at first and will be taller than their peers. However, because their bones ripen faster than normal, they often stop growing. This causes them to be shorter than the average adult.

2. Social and emotional problems

Girls and boys who start puberty long before their peers may be very self-conscious about the changes taking place in their bodies. This can affect self-esteem and increase the risk of depression or substance abuse.

It's always hard to be different from other people. Having an adult body before its peers can put a lot of stress on a child. Both girls and boys have difficulty undergoing changes due to early puberty. Your child may be teased, and may also have body image problems or self-esteem issues. They may also be confused about what's happening to their bodies, and may have unfamiliar emotions.