Question
My daughter is 9.4 years old. Her bone age score is 11.2-11.3. Her sex hormone levels are elevated. The ultrasound shows her uterus is larger than that of a same age child. She has multiple follicles larger than 4mm. Her breasts are developing at stage three. There is discharge. She has pubic and armpit hair like sweat hair. Is my child suffering from precocious puberty?
Answer
Precocious puberty is a sexual development disorder characterized by the early onset of sexual maturity. Generally, if girls show secondary sexual characteristics before the age of 8 weeks and boys before the age of 9 weeks, it should be considered as precocious puberty. The main manifestations include breast development, pubic and armpit hair, rapid increase in height and weight, and development of external genitalia. This condition requires the determination of sex hormone levels, and once diagnosed, medication should be used to suppress gonadotropin activation to achieve normal height. Otherwise, it may cause children to feel inferior, affecting their psychology and physiology, and resulting in significantly lower height compared to normal peers.