Precocious Puberty at Pediatric Clinic DRHC Dubai

What is Puberty?

Puberty is a period during which a growing boy or girl undergoes the process of sexual maturation. Puberty involves a series of physical stages that lead to the achievement of fertility and the development of secondary sex characteristics.

The onset of puberty varies among individuals but usually occurs between 10-14 years in girls and 12-16 years in boys. The changes that happen during puberty have a typical pattern. The first sign of puberty in girls is breast development (breast buds), which occurs at an average age of 11 years. The growth of pubic hair begins and next followed by the growth of hair in the armpit. The onset of menstruation (having a period) happens later, around two and a half years after the onset of puberty. Regular ovulation usually develops rapidly once a girl begins having periods.

In boys, the first sign of puberty is an increase in the size of testicles that begins at the age of 11 and ½ years; and after 6 months the penis increases in size. The next stage is pubic hair and hair in the armpits. Next is the voice becomes deeper, and the muscles increase in size. The last step is the facial hair.

Fertility is achieved in males near the onset of puberty when testosterone triggers the production of sperm.

What is Precocious Puberty?

It is the development ofthe  breast, first period, growth of pubic hair or the hair in the armpits in girls before 8 years of age. In boys, it is the deepening of voice, enlarged testicles or penis, growth of facial hair, growth of hair in pubic or armpit before 9 years of age.

When you see any of these signs in your child before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys, you should consult your doctor.

Causes:

Central precocious puberty: In this case, the puberty process starts too soon. The pattern and timing of the steps are otherwise normal for the majority of children with this condition. Primary precocious puberty is where there’s no underlying medical problem, but in some cases, we can find a reason for that:

The following may cause CPP:

• A tumor in the brain
• A defect in the brain present at birth
• Radiation to the brain
• Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
• Hypothyroidism

Peripheral Precocious Puberty:

Estrogen and testosterone in your child’s body cause this type of precocious puberty, and the causes are:

• Tumor in the adrenal gland
• Exposure to an external source of estrogen or testosterone
• In girls: ovarian cysts and tumors
• In boys: testicular tumor

Possible complications are:

• Short stature
• Social and emotional problems

Diagnosis:

• Medical history and physical examination
• Laboratory (hormone levels in blood) and imaging tests
• It is necessary to determine the type of precocious puberty and the cause

Treatment:

Treatment for precocious puberty depends on the cause. The primary goal is to enable the child to grow to normal adult height and treat the underlying medical condition.

Dubai Pediatric Clinic at Dr Rami Hamed Center provides one of the leading pediatricians in Dubai. Please call +97142798200 to book an appointment today with us!