How can precocious puberty be treated? Is it reversible?

Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Precocious puberty has many causes, including genetic factors, conditions during the mother's pregnancy, or congenital pituitary abnormalities, all of which can lead to the condition. When precocious puberty occurs, it is necessary to conduct diagnostic tests including MRI of the pituitary in the head, bone age assessment, ultrasonography of the gonads, and blood hormone level measurements to determine the appropriate treatment. Mild cases can be managed through a balanced diet, appropriate exercise, and rest. In some cases, oral Chinese medicine can be used if blood hormone levels are not severe enough to require other treatments, to help control the child’s sexual development. In severe cases, such as when a child's bone age is more than one year above their actual age, accompanied by abnormal blood hormone levels and changes in gonadal ultrasound, and significant loss in height, it may be necessary to administer injections of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs to control the level of sexual development. If there is a significant loss in height, it may also be necessary to combine this with growth hormone injections to treat growth.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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Does drinking honey water cause early puberty in boys?

Drinking honey water will not cause precocious puberty in boys, but it is important to note that honey should only be given to children over one year old. Although honey contains certain sex hormones, the amount is minuscule and not necessarily linked to precocious puberty, as the main component of honey is sugar, which constitutes a large proportion. Other components include proteins, organic acids, and pollen. There is no report from authoritative testing that has detected animal hormones in honey. Although pollen contains a considerable amount of plant hormones, these compounds are significantly different from the hormones found in animal bodies. Thus, plant hormones do not produce hormone-like effects in the human body, nor can they cause precocious puberty in children. However, it is important to note that the sugar content in honey water is relatively high and excessive intake can lead to obesity and cause abnormal development of dental health in children, including symptoms of tooth decay.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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Should people with precocious puberty eat fewer eggs?

Children with precocious puberty can normally eat eggs, but they should avoid eating fried foods, including chicken. It is also important to determine the cause of the child's precocious puberty, such as whether there is a hormone abnormality, for example, high levels of sex hormones, or if the child exhibits breast development, enlarged testicles, or premature growth of underarm and pubic hair, etc. It is necessary to check the child's sex hormones and growth hormones in a timely manner, including checking their bone age. If it is confirmed that the child indeed has precocious puberty, timely and targeted intervention treatments should be provided.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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Manifestations of precocious puberty in an 11-year-old boy

If an 11-year-old boy exhibits precocious puberty, it typically manifests as increased testicular volume and thickening of the penis, along with the development of pubic and axillary hair. In more severe cases, there may also be the growth of facial hair, voice changes, and the appearance of an Adam's apple, among other signs of male sexual organ development. In cases of very advanced precocious puberty, such as full maturity, nocturnal emissions may also occur. If we consider that an 11-year-old boy is exhibiting early signs of puberty, we can take him to the hospital for bone age and gonadal ultrasound examinations. Based on the initial diagnosis, if sexual development is deemed premature and the symptoms are pronounced, further tests such as blood hormone levels can be conducted. With assistance from diagnostic aids like bone age, gonadal ultrasound, and hormone levels, a doctor can guide appropriate intervention treatments to prevent issues associated with precocious puberty, such as significantly shorter adult stature.

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Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
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The difference between precocious puberty and early development

It is generally believed that the development of breasts before the age of eight in girls, and the onset of menstruation before the age of ten; in boys, the development of testicles before the age of nine, appearance of secondary sexual characteristics, and accompanied by rapid physical development, are referred to as precocious puberty. Early development refers to the situation where, before puberty, not only the sexual organs but also other organs in boys and girls begin to develop simultaneously. Therefore, precocious puberty and early development not only differ in the age of onset but also focus more on whether the sexual organs are developing in coordination with the body's other organs. The differences lie not only in the timing but primarily in whether the development of the sexual organs is coordinated with the development of the body's other organs. If the sexual organs and the body's other organs are not developing in coordination, it indicates precocious puberty. If they are coordinated, and merely occurring earlier than usual in puberty, it is considered early development.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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Can precocious puberty be inherited by children?

Precocious puberty may have a hereditary factor, but it is not very typical. This means that if the parents experienced early puberty or development, their children might also potentially display early signs of puberty or development, but it is not a certainty. Children with precocious puberty typically refer to those who undergo sexual development too early, which can affect their height or their sexual development. This usually impacts their adult height. If parents show signs of early puberty or development, we need to closely monitor the sexual development of their children, observing the development of the nipples in girls and the development of the testicles and penis in boys.