The difference between precocious puberty and early development

Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
Updated on September 03, 2024
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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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Will daily skipping improve precocious puberty?

The purpose of daily rope jumping for children with precocious puberty is to impact their height positively, aiming for improvement. The goal of treating precocious puberty is to increase the final adult height. Due to premature sexual development, high levels of estrogen can lead to early closure of the growth plates, resulting in being shorter compared to peers of the same age after growing up. Therefore, to avoid being shorter as an adult, it is recommended in daily life that children engage more in activities that involve jumping, such as rope jumping, which can stimulate the growth plates and contribute to vertical growth in children. Daily rope jumping can, therefore, be beneficial, specifically concerning height improvement.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
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What should I do if precocious puberty is not treated in time?

Precocious puberty is defined as the abnormal condition where secondary sexual characteristics develop before the age of eight in girls and nine in boys. The harm of this disease includes shorter adult height, earlier sexual behavior, and suppressed personality, among other effects. The principle of treatment primarily focuses on improving the child's adult height, with treatments mainly including medication and etiological treatment. If diagnosed and treated early, the prognosis is generally good, and the final adult height can be significantly improved. If treatment is not administered in a timely manner, and the epiphyses of the bones have closed, it may not be possible to alter the final height.

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Written by Quan Xiang Mei
Pediatrics
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How can precocious children reduce estrogen levels?

Once children are diagnosed with precocious puberty, which usually refers to girls developing breasts before the age of 8 and boys showing signs of secondary sexual characteristics such as increased testicular volume and penile thickening before the age of 9, the method to reduce estrogen depends on the severity of the precocious puberty. This includes whether it affects the child's height and the maturity level of the sexual organs, as well as taking into account the estrogen levels at the time of examination for treatment. Mild cases usually do not require medication and can be addressed through dietary and exercise interventions. For moderate cases where hormone levels in the blood have not reached a severe state and there is some loss of height but not to the extent that requires treatment through injections, oral Chinese medicine can be used to reduce estrogen levels. In severe cases, where there is significant change in height, sexual organs, and high hormone levels in the blood, medication such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs can be used to control the child’s sexual development.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What should I do if I find out my child is maturing early?

Interventional treatment for precocious puberty varies according to different causes. In principle, once diagnosed with central precocious puberty, aggressive pharmacological treatment is recommended, using inhibitory hormones to suppress development to pre-pubertal levels and inhibit further development of the ovaries and uterus. For peripheral precocious puberty or pseudoprecocious puberty, the cause must be removed. Clinically, if a child accidentally ingests their mother's contraceptive pills causing transient vaginal bleeding, it is essential to carefully inquire about the medical history, thoroughly understand the cause, and determine the treatment method. Also, ask if there has been any special dietary intake recently, including foods or drinks high in estrogen, and if so, remove the cause for treatment.

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Written by Dong Xian Yan
Pediatrics
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Does precocious puberty require growth hormone treatment?

For children with precocious puberty, a small number require combined treatment with growth hormones. For instance, if a child's height growth rate is less than 4cm, it is necessary to add growth hormones to promote growth and development. The second scenario involves using a bone age test; if the height is less than 151cm, growth hormones can also be used in combination for treatment. In the third scenario, if the child's bone age at the time of consultation has already exceeded 11.5 years, has significantly increased, or even if menstruation has started and their height has been clearly affected, it is generally advised to use growth hormones in combination with treatment.