All you need to know about precocious puberty

To define precocious puberty in a simple way, it can be summarized in the onset of pubertal signs at an excessively early age to expected. In general, it is considered premature when it occurs before age eight in girls and before age nine in boys. There is also the concept of early puberty when it occurs between eight and nine years for girls and between nine and ten years for children.

Precocious puberty male and female

The overall frequency of this disorder is about one case per 7,500 children, at least three times more common in girls. The difference of precocious puberty in each sex is that in girls, is more often than not there is any pathology that justifies it, whereas in 40% of cases of children, there is an underlying problem that caused it.

Problems of precocious puberty

One of the important problems of the onset of early puberty is the premature acceleration in the growth and early closure of the growth plates. This eventually triggers a lower height at the corresponding.

Currently there is no way to prevent this disorder, only detected when it is already developed. That is why it is important that parents are informed and consult with the pediatrician if you have any suspicion.

Treatment of precocious puberty

Generally, treatment of precocious puberty is based in blocking the release of hormones from the pituitary (gland hormones generator located in the brain). Treatment should continue until chronological age, bone age (age at which the bones have reached their maturity) and psychological maturation deemed appropriate. Normally they valued the 12 years of bone age in girls and 14 in boys.