Question
My daughter is only 8 years old, and there are already lumps on her breasts. I’m worried that she might have precocious puberty. What dangers does precocious puberty pose to growth and development? I would like to learn more about helpful information regarding precocious puberty.
Answer
Precocious puberty refers to the early onset of sexual development in children due to the influence of sex hormones. This causes a rapid increase in height, but also promotes the premature fusion of growth plates, leading to an earlier cessation of growth than normal children. After reaching adulthood, individuals with precocious puberty tend to be shorter than average. Due to early development, a certain proportion of children with short stature have precocious puberty. Children with precocious puberty usually have a higher height than their age-mates at the time, but due to early bone age, if not treated promptly, their final adult height is generally shorter.