Question

A girl is about to turn 10 years old, and her breasts have already begun to develop. She is 145 cm tall and weighs 87 kg, while girls of the same age have not shown similar conditions. The parent inquires whether it is necessary to conduct a check-up related to precocious puberty.

Answer

Precocious puberty refers to the occurrence of secondary sexual development abnormalities in girls before the age of 8, which can be categorized into central precocious puberty and peripheral precocious puberty. The main causes include excessive nutrition, environmental pollution, and visual stimulation. If a girl shows secondary sexual development before the age of 8 or a boy before 9, it is advisable to consider conducting relevant checks. Recommended checks include bone age assessment, ultrasound examination, sex hormone tests, as well as GnRH or similar excitement tests to determine if it is indeed precocious puberty.