Question
A 7-year-old girl has a hard lump in her right breast, with tenderness. What kind of help can she receive?
Answer
A hard lump in a 7-year-old girl’s breast should raise a high suspicion of early puberty. It is important to carefully observe for the development of other secondary sexual characteristics, such as the appearance of pubic hair. Early puberty includes true early puberty and false early puberty. True early puberty is often related to the level of sex hormones in the body, while false early puberty is associated with diet and the intake of hormone-containing foods. It is recommended to take the child to the hospital first to have a gynecological ultrasound to check the development of the ovaries and uterus, and to test the levels of hormones in the body to rule out true early puberty. False early puberty is generally controlled through dietary management. Obese girls tend to have earlier sexual development; also, eating fried foods (chicken), honey, and other hormone-containing foods can lead to early puberty.