The development of signs of puberty in girls before the age of seven, and in boys before the age of nine. If untreated, affected boys typically grow no taller than 1.6 metres and girls rarely reach 1.5 metres.
Precocious puberty, also known as pubertas praecox, is an endocrine system disorder that results in the early maturation of children prior to the normal age of puberty. Precocious puberty is defined differently for each sex because of different maturational rates of girls and boys. For girls, precocious puberty occurs when sexual maturation occurs prior to the age of 8, and for boys, precocious puberty occurs when sexual maturation occurs prior to the age of 9. Alternative definitions of precocious puberty define the disorder as the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics, such as the appearance of pubic hair, early breast development, and so on, more than 2 standard deviations earlier than the population average.
The onset of the physical changes of puberty abnormally early, in girls before age nine and in boys before age 10.
The appearance of secondary sex characteristics before 8 years of age in girls and 9 years of age in boys. The pituitary and hypothalamus glands may be involved, or the condition may result from premature secretion of sex hormones not caused by pituitary or hypothalamic action. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has been used to treat this condition.
The emergence of secondary sexual traits happening prior to the age of eight in girls and nine in boys.
Precocious puberty is infrequent. It can stem from diverse disorders triggering the premature production of sex hormones. Potential underlying causes encompass conditions like brain tumors or other brain anomalies, abnormalities in the adrenal glands (such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia), ovarian cysts, tumors, or testicular tumors. However, in certain instances, no discernible underlying cause can be pinpointed.
The hormones can initiate an untimely surge in growth, followed by premature fusion of the bones. Consequently, affected children might experience initial tallness, but without intervention, their ultimate height is frequently considerably diminished.
A medical professional evaluates the child’s progression through puberty. Hormone levels are measured through blood tests. Depending on the suspected underlying cause, ultrasound scans of the ovaries and testes, as well as CT scans of the adrenal glands or brain, might also be conducted.
The focus of treatment lies in addressing the root cause, and hormone medications might be prescribed to postpone puberty and enhance eventual height.