My daughter has precocious puberty. How common is this?

Question

My 8 yr old daughter has started to grow pubic hair; I yhought this wasn't supposed to happen till she's 11 or so. Are there many other girls who started to develope this early? How common is this? Should I take her to a gynocologist or teach her to start shaving?

Answer 1

Yes. A doctor definatly. Shaving is her choice.
I recently heard of a study as to why puberty is starting earlier in children. The fat content in their bodies trigger it. With our
high fat fast foods it is triggering early puberty. Might be something to it. A neighbor of mine's daughter started puberty at 8 looked 20 when she was 13. It happens.

Answer 2

The onset of puberty is normally triggered by the hypothalamus (the area of the brain that helps control pituitary gland function). It signals the pituitary gland (a pea-sized gland near the base of the brain) to release hormones that stimulate the ovaries (in girls) or testicles (in boys) to make sex hormones.

Sometimes, precocious puberty stems from a structural problem in the brain (such as a tumor), brain injury due to head trauma, an infection (such as meningitis), or a problem in the ovaries or thyroid gland that triggers the onset of puberty ahead of schedule - but this usually isn't the case.

For the majority of girls, there's no underlying medical problem - they simply start puberty too early for no known reason. In boys, the condition is less common, and more likely to be associated with an underlying medical problem than it is in girls.

As far as teaching her to shave, I personally wouldn't if it were my daughter. That is a lot of maintenance for a child to keep up with. I think that if you make a big deal out of having her shave, then mentally she will feel that it is some thing to be ashamed off. Puberty is a beautiful time in a girls life, it is when she is becoming a woman. Even though she started early, she should not feel ashamed and feel that she has to hide it. Shaving should be her decision later.

Answer 3

I don't know how common it is, but I do know that it's nothing to worry about. It does happen to many young girls. If you are worried then take her to a doctor, but I'm sure that he/she will say the same thing. Nothing to worry about. Also, don't make her shave! Who is going to look down there? Shaving the hair won't make it magically go away. It will come back stronger.
Give your daughter lots of love and support, because I'm sure that she is more scared about what is going on with her than you are!

Answer 4

I feel so bad for these kids who are developing so early. It's like their childhood is being taken away from them. It is so sad. I mean, when I was eight I wasn't even thinking about stuff like that cause it seemed so far in the future. I can not imagine how awful it would have to be to wear a pantyliner when you're like ten. I think you should talk to her doctor about this. I'm pretty sure there are ways to postpone puberty.

Answer 5

This phenomenon is becoming increasingly common. Some attribute it to the hormones we insert in beef. Whatever the cause, it can be treated. Take your daughter to her pediatrician.

There is plenty of information on the Web. For more details, just google "precocious puberty."

Answer 6

OMG don't teach her to start shaving, she is far too young. I developed early and had my first period when I was about eleven. Children are starting there periods early now. It's quite normal.

Imagine how you would feel if you were eight and had a strange man look at you down there. It's a violation. Please leave her be.

Answer 7

Shaving?!? it wont bother her! she doesnt need to shave, you said it yourself, shes only 8. Ask a gyno. It is definately possible though, i have known girls who got theirs at 9 or 10.