Help. I need some information on early puberty in girls

[golfgal]

It may be common, but I cannot agree that it is "normal"

It is VERY normal to start puberty at age 8 or 9. Starting puberty doesn't mean you get your period then, usually that comes about 3 years after you start puberty. An 8 year old starting puberty would get their period around age 11.

Here is a great link that shows all the stages of puberty and average ages of onset. http://www.puberty101.com/p_pubgirls.shtml

There were plenty of girls when I was in 6th grade that had their periods so an 8 year old starting puberty isn't new. Almost all the girls had their periods by the end of 7th grade, which is 12/13 years old.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

Anyhow, I have an 8 year old, almost 8 & a half.... I don't think she's developing, she's thinner than a rail & quite tall for her age (just as I was)... I don't know how to bring this subject up with her?

Can a mom that's experienced explaining all this with their DD PM me, I need some advice as to how to broach the whole subject with her.... I know I have to... we've discussed the birds & bee's, but not this particular subject I guess I hoped that if I didn't tell her, it wouldn't happen

American Girl has a great book, "The Care and Keeping of You". I bought it for DD around age 8 as I wanted her to hear about this from ME and not her classmates. We read a few pages each night and she enjoyed that. When we were finished with the book, she got to take it to her room. DD is 11 now and has not started. I was 13 1/2 though.

 

[Microcell]

Oh boy. My daughter turns 8 in may. I'm not ready for any of this. She already has developed a little. But she is on the heavy side so its not that big a deal. She has always been a solid girl. She told me the other day that she liked Owen and I said well yes he is your friend. She said but i really like him. And I said well that is good. And she said no I really really like him. I almost ran off the road. Not ready for this at all.

I understand, DD confessed to me that she wrote a love declaration on the bathroom wall at school! She is also beginning to develop just the smallest bit- She will be 8 in April!!!

 

[mickeyfan2]

I hope this won't upset you, I'm not trying to be judgemental truely. I have read many scientific essays (medical and anthroplological) that say girls that live in the same household with their biological fathers develop later. It isn't just any male living in the house, it has to be the biological father. It is kind of natures way of saying OK daddy is still here to take care of you, so you don't need to develop yet to attract a mate to provide for you. My parents were divorced and I got my period on my 11 birthday (what a great present) all the other women on both sides of my family didn't get theirs until at least 14, my mother was 18. She thought I was a freak. Which I am .

Actually I read about that too. I don't know what the OPs situation is wrt this.

 

[poohandwendy]

To the OP, I would relax about it. I think the only way I would be worried is if she suddenly started her period and had no other signs of puberty.

For all of the other anecdotal 'information' being tossed around, I have one DD who started maturing around 8 and started her period right after she turned 10. Now, our other DD is over 12 and just now starting to mature. No period yet. The both have generally the same body shape and they both have been raised by their biological father (LOL at that one). Same eating habits, same environment. Same genetic pool.

Keep in mind that there usually is a family tendency, but not necessary of the mother only. My DHs mother started her period at the age of 9 as did one of my sisters.

I was over the age of 12 and I have another sister who was almost 14 before she started. Our mother was 11 when she started.

I would NOT agree to any sort of hormone therapy to 'help delay puberty' (mentioned by a previous poster) without proof that there is a medical problem going on. I would not go with only the evidence of breast maturation in a 7 year old. She may not even start her period for a few years anyways. It obviously would never hurt to have tests run as per your doctors suggestions, though.

One thing that we all need to keep in mind is that whether or not we, as parents, are ready for 'the talk', our child's body maturing is definitely a sign that they NEED it.

I would get a good book about the subject and start there.

 

[chris1gill]

American Girl has a great book, "The Care and Keeping of You". I bought it for DD around age 8 as I wanted her to hear about this from ME and not her classmates. We read a few pages each night and she enjoyed that. When we were finished with the book, she got to take it to her room. DD is 11 now and has not started. I was 13 1/2 though.

Thanks Wonderlandmom, I'm off to buy the book right now... I've been putting it off too long...

 

[Nancy]

The American Girl book that was mentioned a few posts ago is a good one. I also bought it and all 3 girls read it. As for having talks about it, I have always been fairly open with the girls and our talks were never pre arranged, just whenever the subject came up; like something in TV or in a movie. One thing I never went into huge medical lingo with them, kept it simple and straight forward. They always knew (and still know) if they have questions Mom is available 24/7.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

American Girl has a great book, "The Care and Keeping of You". I bought it for DD around age 8 as I wanted her to hear about this from ME and not her classmates. We read a few pages each night and she enjoyed that. When we were finished with the book, she got to take it to her room. DD is 11 now and has not started. I was 13 1/2 though.

My DD 9 1/2 has this book and "Ready, Set, Grow!" A "What's Happeining to My Body?" book for younger girls by Lynda Madaras. My daughter likes the illustrations and telling me what stage she thinks she is at right now. She's spending more time in front of the mirror.

We also read together, "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret", by Judy Blume. We giggled together as we read each chapter. I made sure that she understood what we had read. It was also on her AR reading list so she got points for it too.

I want my DD to feel comfortable discussing this with me. My ped. said that girls are now starting on average a year before their mothers.

Lori

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

OP I just want to say that you are not alone.
I took my DD to the doc when she was 8 because dd was complaining that she had these little lumps near her breasts. Did I feel like a fool when the doc checked her over then said "It's ok mom, it is just breast buds" My mouth just hung open. My DD is now 12 in a C cup and her period that isn't regular for a year now. Do I think it is the milk/ beef who knows! My concern is her well being because others who haven't got what she has are very very cruel.

Aww give your daughter a big hug. I went through what she is. I was the only one in my class who matured at a young age. At 10 I needed training bras, deodorant and shaving. At age 12 I had a growth spurt and needed a C cup. (Was never B cup, seriously. Scared my mom some.) Then I grew some more and it just got worse. Don't worry about her irregular period so much. It is normal for a girls period to be irregular for the first year. And tell her to ignore those cruel girls. It took me too long to realize it but they are not worth her time.

 

[Tammy1966]

I have gotten so tired of her covering up that I finally just told her to stop that "some" people pay good money to get what she has naturally.
I can relate to her BIG TIME as I too started early.
My daughter got her period 2 years after showing signs of breast buds.
Don't worry your baby is growing up I know it is heart breaking because they are starting younger and younger these days.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I wouldn't worry about it. It's pretty normal. I started wearing a bra when I was 9.

 

[skooniebird]

It does seem early. But like the physician said I would just keep an eye on her and make sure she knows about hormones and development etc. as much as you can make a 7 yr old understand, so she can tell you if she feels anything unusual herself. My DD started menstruating in 4th grade. But it was light and irregular. Bear with it, I guess. And be educated in case it could be a hormonal imbalance with some other underlying cause, which is very unlikely. But just be aware.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

DD started using deoderant shortly after turning 7, now at 8 1/2 she is just starting to show signs of breast buds and has been asking me for a training bra for months because two of her classmates(a year younger than her - we held her back) have them already. I have been a little concerned she would be way ahead of her classmates due to starting K later, but it doesn't seem that is going to be the case.

The American Girl book is the BEST!!!! - DD giggled at the thought of some parts - and rolled around laughing "oh my god, oh my god" at others...She is very proud and excited about being in on the "big girl/woman" stuff - and she is very open talking about it in front of her dad and I (oh - and she reminds her dad on a regular basis that he needs to stay out of her top drawer now because she is going to have bras and stuff soon - her AG book is in there now!)- which is helping me be more open...it was way different for me growing up..and at least I can relax about not having passed that down to her...she is a so amazingly her own person!!!

 

[babytrees]

My dear sweetie(13) is a D cup!! It is very hard to find bras in 36D that don't look like granny bras!!! I am constantly telling them that some people would love to have their ****s....the younger one(9) just started wearing A cups.....geesh!!

 

[SteeleTig]

My dear sweetie(13) is a D cup!! It is very hard to find bras in 36D that don't look like granny bras!!!

Body by Victoria Full Coverage bras (from Victoria's Secret) come in 36D, look great without looking too sexy and come in many different colors. They put out new colors pretty often too.

 

[chris1gill]

(oh - and she reminds her dad on a regular basis that he needs to stay out of her top drawer now because she is going to have bras and stuff soon - her AG book is in there now

THIS IS HYSTERICAL!!!! I think you guys have put me at ease a bit... DD & I talk openly about everything, but this is the one and only topic I haven't known how to address... I figured she 8 years 4 months, I had another year to figure it out.... I was 9, my mother was 9, my grandmother was 9... it seems to be genetic that it comes early Poor DD.... although she doesn't seem to have any sort of signs pointing to puberty right now, so let's hope...

 

[Tinijocaro]

Precocious puberty is when puberty starts before the age of 7 or 8 for girls, age 9 for boys. This early can be very harmful for the body- bones stop growing much earlier than they should, therefore not realizing their full potential height. They will be tall initially, but will tpaer off and end up shorter than they would have if they hadn't gone through early puberty.

Sounds like most of you who started with puberty at the age of 9, and 10 are actually normal. Earlier than that is considered unhealthy, and that is when hormone therapy is recommended.

Jackie

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I have a niece who actually has the "precocious puberty" thing, not just 'starting early'. She had breast buds by 5. We had a group shot taken of all the grandkids on that side at that time, and she looks like the 3rd oldest, not 5th oldest (only my then 11 and 8 year olds looked older). She was already wearing 8/10s for her height and girth. Not fat, just big and solid. She is 2 months older than my DS and looks 3 years older. She will be 8 next month and gets the shots at the endocrinologist once a month. And this is not a milk thing, or else her two sisters (9 and almost 6) would have the same issues--they don't. She is WAY ahead of her 9 year old sister. In fact, she is as tall as my DD who will be 11 next month.
My own DD#1 started at 12 1/2 and kept on developing...she is now a 36C bra at age 14, but a size 2 or 3 jeans. Wish I'd looked like that! But buying a dress is horrible....size 3 dresses don't fit her up top, so she "feels fat" when she has to buy a 9 or 11.
Robin M.

 

[Albertan mom]

My DD just turned 11 and has been wearing a bra for a few monthes.

Her best friend just got her period last month. So I am thinking it could be anytime for my DD.

The Dr. said that once she started developing the 'buds' the period usually comes around 2 years later.

She doesn't have to wear deodorant yet, but my friends dd started when she was 6, because of bad body odor.

I wish she wasn't growing up so fast!! Let her have a few more years without the dreaded monthly visitor!!!! I was 14 when I got mine!!