Puberty, habitually happening during adolescence, is when kids develop emotionally and physically into young men and women. Typically, girls show sign of puberty no earlier than 8 to 13 years of age and boys usually experience puberty at the age of 12. The average age for puberty is about 12 for boys and 10 for girls.
But what if you notice signs of puberty in a younger child – for instance at the age of 7? Does it affect your child?
What is Precocious Puberty?
For children who show signs of puberty in a younger child are said to have precocious puberty. Children showing signs of precocious puberty usually have physical or emotional difficulties and it is an important sign or underlying reason for gelastic seizures.
Evaluation for the early signs or development of puberty is important in children to determine any relation with the hypothalamic hamartoma. It’s important that you lookout for signs of early sexual development in girls at age of 8 and in boys at age of 9. It’s imperative for your child’s pediatrician to monitor how quickly your child is progressing and growing through puberty, because sudden gain in height and skeletal maturation are signs of precocious puberty. If your child show signs of precocious puberty, your child’s pediatrician may need to do further evaluation by assessing blood levels of different hormones such as, lutenizing hormone, estrogen, follicle stimulating hormone, and testosterone.
Read also: Treatment Options for Gelastic Epilepsy
What Are The Common Visible Signs Of Precocious Puberty?
In girls, following are some common signs of precocious puberty that usually seen before 7 or 8 years of age.
- Development of breast
- Early development of underarm or pubic hair
- Early and rapid height growth
- Beginning of menstruation
- Signs of acne
- “Mature” body redolence
The visible signs of precocious puberty in boys before 9 years of age are:
- Testicular enlargement
- Early development of underarm, facial, and pubic hair
- Early and rapid height growth
- Change in voice (Voice sounds more like a mature)
- Early signs of acne
- “Mature” body redolence
What are the types of precocious puberty?
Precocious puberty can be broadly classifies into two categories:
- Central precocious puberty – It shows similar signs of normal puberty but at an early age. The hormones ‘gonadotropins’ released by the pituitary gland stimulates the ovaries or testicles or develop other hormones, estrogen or testosterone.
- Precocious pseudo-puberty – It is a rare type of precocious puberty in which testosterone and estrogen hormones activates the symptoms. But the pituitary gland and brain are not involved. It’s typically a local problem with the adrenal gland, ovaries, testicles, or an underactive thyroid gland.
Relation between Precocious Puberty And Gelastic Seizures
There is an interrelation that exists between precocious puberty & gelastic seizures. For most children who suffered with gelastic epilepsy usually showed signs of early puberty. It is important that if you notice early signs of puberty, make sure you have him check with a neurosurgeon too as only he can diagnose whether there is a presence or Hypothalamic hamartomas.
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