Question
An 8-year-and-a-half-old girl, who has always been slim, finally reached 50 pounds in weight this summer after increasing her physical activity due to swimming lessons. She is 1.38 meters tall. The parents are concerned whether this means the child is showing signs of precocious puberty?
Answer
According to medical standards, a girl’s onset of sexual development before the age of 8 to 8.5, and a boy’s before the age of 10, is considered precocious puberty. There are numerous factors that influence child development, including race, genetics, climate, nutrition, and diseases, all of which have significant impacts on a child’s growth. Therefore, there is considerable individual variation in child development. With the development of social economy, the onset of adolescence is also showing a trend of gradual advancement. In this situation, an 8-year-old girl starting to develop does not necessarily mean she has precocious puberty, but it is recommended to undergo an endocrine system check to ensure the child’s healthy growth.