Early puberty means that the signs of puberty begin at a younger age than expected. The first sign is breast development in girls and testicular enlargement in boys. An early onset does not always mean there is a disease; it does, however, need to be evaluated.

Signs families notice

In girls: growth of breast tissue, a speeding up of height gain, hair in the underarm and genital area, a change in body odour, the start of menstruation.

In boys: an increase in testicular and penile size, body hair, deepening of the voice, a speeding up of height gain, acne.

Why it matters

When puberty starts early, bone age advances faster and the growth plates may close early. This can affect the child's adult height. Going through these bodily changes before their peers can also be emotionally difficult for the child.

What the evaluation involves

The doctor assesses the growth chart, the height velocity and the examination findings. If considered necessary, bone age from a wrist X-ray, hormone tests and imaging may be requested. Which tests are needed differs from child to child.

Factors that may contribute

Familial predisposition, excess weight and certain hormonal conditions are among the factors that have been reported. It would not be correct to put it down to a single cause; for this reason the evaluation is made as a whole.