Precocious puberty


What are the effects of precocious puberty in girls?
Premature sexual development in girls can have significant impacts on their future, with one of the most common issues being effects on height. Premature sexual development can cause bone age to advance much earlier than in peers, which can lead to premature closure of the growth plates and result in a shorter stature. Additionally, it can have profound impacts on the individual's psychological and emotional well-being, leading to issues such as low self-esteem and anxiety. Premature sexual development can also cause early breast development and early menstruation, which may lead to premature romantic relationships and other early maturation behaviors. Therefore, it has a substantial effect on both the physical and mental development of girls. For such patients, it is crucial to detect, diagnose, and treat the condition early.


Should people with precocious puberty eat fewer eggs?
Children with precocious puberty can normally eat eggs, but they should avoid eating fried foods, including chicken. It is also important to determine the cause of the child's precocious puberty, such as whether there is a hormone abnormality, for example, high levels of sex hormones, or if the child exhibits breast development, enlarged testicles, or premature growth of underarm and pubic hair, etc. It is necessary to check the child's sex hormones and growth hormones in a timely manner, including checking their bone age. If it is confirmed that the child indeed has precocious puberty, timely and targeted intervention treatments should be provided.


Is thigh clamping in children a sign of precocious puberty?
Babies crossing their legs is not a sign of precocious puberty. There is a clinical sign in children called "leg crossing syndrome," primarily occurring in either sex, where children experience pleasure through the friction of the skin between their legs. This condition is often a form of masturbation, seeking self-comfort and stimulation to achieve a sense of relief. Possible causes include increased secretions due to poor local hygiene, leading to babies rubbing against each other, thus manifesting a sense of sexual satisfaction. Additionally, parasitic infections can cause itching in the perineal area, leading to symptoms of leg crossing syndrome. If parents notice this behavior, they should guide the child gradually and persuasively without scolding, while also maintaining cleanliness in the affected area and enhancing education about sexuality. Precocious puberty is mostly characterized by the development of breasts and other secondary sexual characteristics, so there is a difference between the two conditions.


What should I do if precocious puberty is not treated in time?
Precocious puberty is defined as the abnormal condition where secondary sexual characteristics develop before the age of eight in girls and nine in boys. The harm of this disease includes shorter adult height, earlier sexual behavior, and suppressed personality, among other effects. The principle of treatment primarily focuses on improving the child's adult height, with treatments mainly including medication and etiological treatment. If diagnosed and treated early, the prognosis is generally good, and the final adult height can be significantly improved. If treatment is not administered in a timely manner, and the epiphyses of the bones have closed, it may not be possible to alter the final height.


Will eating oysters cause early puberty in children?
Children eating oysters will not lead to precocious puberty, because oysters mainly contain protein and the trace element zinc. Precocious puberty is primarily caused by the intake of hormone-like foods, which disrupts the endocrine function in children, especially sex hormones such as estrogen and androgen. Oysters do not generally contain hormones, so there is no necessary connection between eating oysters and precocious puberty. However, it should also be noted that although oysters are nutritious, they are not suitable for excessive consumption because they are seafood products, and overeating may cause allergies or symptoms of indigestion. For precocious puberty, it is mainly about avoiding the intake of high-calorie foods and hormone-like foods in daily life, especially some out-of-season foods and the use of cosmetics containing hormones, which can all lead to precocious puberty.


What should I do if I find out my child is maturing early?
Interventional treatment for precocious puberty varies according to different causes. In principle, once diagnosed with central precocious puberty, aggressive pharmacological treatment is recommended, using inhibitory hormones to suppress development to pre-pubertal levels and inhibit further development of the ovaries and uterus. For peripheral precocious puberty or pseudoprecocious puberty, the cause must be removed. Clinically, if a child accidentally ingests their mother's contraceptive pills causing transient vaginal bleeding, it is essential to carefully inquire about the medical history, thoroughly understand the cause, and determine the treatment method. Also, ask if there has been any special dietary intake recently, including foods or drinks high in estrogen, and if so, remove the cause for treatment.


Where is precocious puberty manifested?
Precocious puberty is primarily characterized by the development of breasts in girls before the age of 8, which leads to a diagnosis of precocious puberty. In boys, an increase in testicular volume and thickening of the penis before the age of 9 or 9.5 years also constitutes a diagnosis of precocious puberty. Once children show signs of precocious puberty, it is crucial to promptly take them to a hospital for the following relevant examinations to determine whether the condition is affecting the child's physical and psychological health. 1. An examination of bone age to determine if it impacts the child's height; 2. An ultrasound of the gonads to verify the severity of sexual development; 3. Under the detailed examination of a doctor, observe whether it affects the child's psychology, thereby providing further reasonable treatment based on the actual manifestations of the child.


Does precocious puberty require growth hormone treatment?
For children with precocious puberty, a small number require combined treatment with growth hormones. For instance, if a child's height growth rate is less than 4cm, it is necessary to add growth hormones to promote growth and development. The second scenario involves using a bone age test; if the height is less than 151cm, growth hormones can also be used in combination for treatment. In the third scenario, if the child's bone age at the time of consultation has already exceeded 11.5 years, has significantly increased, or even if menstruation has started and their height has been clearly affected, it is generally advised to use growth hormones in combination with treatment.


What are good foods for girls with precocious puberty to eat?
Girls with precocious puberty should primarily consume green, seasonal foods with no added ingredients, such as vegetables, fruits, and meats. It's best to eat seasonal products and avoid off-season fruits, like those transported from far away, as they often contain additives that can exacerbate precocious puberty. Additionally, in everyday life, including snacks and fried foods, as well as some fast foods, it is best not to consume these at all. Dairy products, soy products, and honey products, which tend to contain higher levels of estrogen, should also be avoided or consumed minimally.


Can precocious puberty be inherited by children?
Precocious puberty may have a hereditary factor, but it is not very typical. This means that if the parents experienced early puberty or development, their children might also potentially display early signs of puberty or development, but it is not a certainty. Children with precocious puberty typically refer to those who undergo sexual development too early, which can affect their height or their sexual development. This usually impacts their adult height. If parents show signs of early puberty or development, we need to closely monitor the sexual development of their children, observing the development of the nipples in girls and the development of the testicles and penis in boys.