Question
My daughter is four months old, and a few days ago, I noticed a hard lump in her breast. Could she have precocious puberty? What tests should be done to confirm the diagnosis? She has been drinking Abbott’s formula milk, and I’ve given her carrot juice recently. Is there a problem with eating out-of-season carrots?
Answer
Precocious puberty is an abnormal sexual development characterized by the early onset of sexual maturity. It includes breast development, the growth of pubic and armpit hair, rapid growth in height and weight, as well as the early development of secondary sexual characteristics such as external genitalia. The incidence of precocious puberty in female children is approximately 0.6%, while it is higher in males. To diagnose precocious puberty, you should first go to the hospital to check if the breast lump is a breast bud, then you can make a definitive diagnosis. The doctor may perform physical examinations, bone age measurements, and blood hormone tests to determine if there is precocious puberty. Regarding the impact of carrots on precocious puberty, there is currently no direct evidence to show that eating out-of-season carrots or carrot juice can cause precocious puberty. However, it is important to note that many out-of-season vegetables and fruits may have been treated with chemicals to maintain freshness during growth, and some high-calorie fried foods may also lead to precocious puberty in children. Therefore, it is recommended to choose naturally grown vegetables and fruits as much as possible and follow natural growth principles. I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.