Question
When a young boy shows signs of early puberty, how should parents identify and seek appropriate medical examination?
Answer
Early puberty can be divided into true precocious puberty and pseudo-precocious puberty. True precocious puberty is characterized by the development of testes and penises, with the timing of gonadal development and the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics being earlier than normal. Pseudo-precocious puberty refers to cases where there is no enlargement of the testes or penis, but other symptoms appear, such as early bone age, muscle development, or a deepening voice. The causes may include excessive secretion of sex hormones due to tumors, post-infectious complications of viral meningitis, or external factors such as the misuse of birth control pills, consumption of hormone supplements, and use of hormone-containing cosmetics. If parents suspect that their child is showing signs of early puberty, they should seek evaluation from professional medical institutions. Typically, pediatric hospitals’ nutrition and health care departments or pediatric departments can provide relevant examinations and diagnoses. The examinations may include blood hormone level tests, bone age assessment, and imaging examinations to determine the nature of early puberty.