puberty? already?

[Gracefulmom]

My 8 yo dd just told me she's getting pubic hair. I honestly have no memory of when this happened for me...

Is this normal? early?

How long before we see other changes?

I'd just like to be better informed since my memory is blank.

I was honored that she talked to me about it. She's a pretty open kid, but getting more private about her body.

[stafl]

I started growing longer fuzzy hairs down there at around 7 or so, and they got darker and thicker starting around age 8. I remember counting them. :LOL I got breasts around 9 or 10 and my first period at age 12.
No, not so normal, though. I have always had endometriosis (yes, even before menstruation started, but it wasn't diagnosed until my late 20's) and elevated estrogen levels and precocious puberty often comes along with it.
If she complains of abdominal pains, ever, take her very seriously, and keep track of when and how often they happen. If she has painful cramps when she does start menstruating, make sure she gets the help she needs rather than accepting any doctor's explanations that pain is just a normal part of being female. It's not, and it doesn't have to be.

[AndiG]

I developed pubic hair at 7 or 8. My mom was floored.
She was afraid I was going to end up in puberty at like nine.
I didn't. I just developed pubic hair and then nothing else happened.

I didn't get my period until it was 12 and I didn't develop very much until I was 13 or 14. I ended up developing a significant amount more at 15. (but I'm tall, 5'11 so its like i had to be just about done growing up before I grew out much)

[jenoline]

I don't have any sources to point you to right now, but I've read numerous times about the average age of puberty getting younger. I think 8 is pretty normal these days, even if it wasn't for us. If I recall correctly, I also think that African American girls are more likely to start puberty sooner than whites.

There's no conclusive reason why this is happening, but various speculations focus on the amount of chemicals and hormones that children are exposed to.

A really great book/resource for dealing with sexual issues with your children is Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex: But were afraid they'd ask by Justin Richardson and Mark Schuster. I highly highly recommend it for every parent.

Jennifer

[stafl]

Originally Posted by jenoline

There's no conclusive reason why this is happening, but various speculations focus on the amount of chemicals and hormones that children are exposed to.

yes there is. It's all the excess estrogen, in our foods, in our environment, in our bodies. Pesticides are estrogenic toxins, as are herbicides, as is human waste (urine) of women taking birth control that just goes right back into our rivers where our drinking water comes from. Bovine growth hormone, and other estrogenic toxins can be found in most commercial food items, and even organic food that contains animal fat of any sort contains estrogen. There are estrogenic toxins in most plastics, and in (chlorine) bleached paper products. It's everywhere, and our bodies are not able to get rid of all the excess estrogen, so it is stored in our fat cells. Not only that, but when women have excess estrogen in their bodies and they are pregnant or breastfeeding, they can pass those estrogens along to their babies if they don't gain enough weight, or if they lose too much weight too fast, as they lose fat and the estrogen is released into their bloodstream.

There is very much conclusive evidence that this is a very real problem. But the issue is that too many corporations are making too much money selling things that are poisoning our environment and our bodies. When there's that much money to be made, it's easy enough to hide or ridicule any evidence of the very real harm these products and food items are causing.

[ChristaN]

This link gives an age range for what is "normal" as far as female puberty and development is concerned. From what they say, an average girl will start growing pubic hair at around 11-12 years of age, although it can vary from 8-14.

I'd be surprised if my 7 y/o started to develop at all in the next year, but I don't think that I started to grow pubic hair or underarm hair until about 12 and got my period at about 14. Early or late development can run in the family. Being overweight, having a lot of exposure to environmental estrogens, and/or having a family hx of early development can all contribute to a girl developing sooner than average.

[guest^]

Stafl-That was a great post. I'm glad you said what you did about pain not being normal with periods-anything other than mild is not normal.

Anyway, I was shocked to read how young some of you and your dds started developing! I remember reading about how all of the hormones put in cows is contributing to an increase in early puberty. Also that too much processed soy can increase levels of estrogen-also contributing to early puberty.(But of course this wouldn't be the cause for those of you 20yrs ago) Anyone else heard of this?

I still think 7-8-9 is early,but I really am speaking from my experience,sisters,and friends.

I dread puberty for my dd.

ETAOPS! I DIDN'T READ THE REST OF THE POSTS-SORRY TO REITERATE WHAT STAFL POSTED!

mp

STAFL-I'm sending you a PM.

[frowningfrog]

My cousin who is age 12 right now started to develope 2 yrs ago..
she has now started to menstrate about 3 months ago.....
Yikes my oldest is 9 ...im not ready!

I do believe i was 14 when I started to menstrate..

[MomBirthmomStepmom]

My DD's only 4, so a while before I have to go through this with DD. But I was 7-8 when I got pubic hair, 9 when my breasts started to develop and just over 10 when my period started.

(also, my 9yo dss is showing signs of puberty, so 8 doesn't sound too 'early' to me)

[Gracefulmom]

Thanks for all the responses...

Just to add some info - she's not at all overweight. At ALL. And no underarm hair or breast development.

I'll check out the book you recommended, Jennifer. I know I've seen it at our library.

And thanks for the reminder that it shouldn't hurt to be female.

-Heidi

[eilonwy]

I started to menstruate at 10.5, a few months after I started to grow pubic hairs; I thought that the two went together.

[oldermamato5]

My 7.5 yr. old dd is looking like she is going to hit puberty early. She has had the beginning of breasts for awhile now,her hair gets oily very quickly,she has small blemishes!! She has had perm. teeth since she was 4!!
She is a bigger girl for her age,looks more like 9 or 10 than almost 8. Not heavy in any way,but wears a size 5 shoe,in womens!!
Goodness,I am NOT ready for this.

[hopeland]

maybe you can find some books designed for kids about changing bodies...that would be cool

[mystic~mama]

stafl~
thx for the informative post...I knew about the BGH but never realized how birth control and other factors effect everyone else...wow...sigh...we really are all connected more that I ever realized. bless us all and bless our earth~~~~

and girls hitting puberty at 8...it seems so young...I'm teary imagining my dd changing so young

[Hells_Belle]

Oh, this thread brings back awful memories. (Not that this is your fault, Graceful mom!) I started getting pubic hair at about 8, and I got my period at 9. Even though I knew what menstruation was, I thought it only happened to teenagers, and I was absolutely traumatised. I was just completely not ready, and I think I felt betrayed and alienated from my body because it was just so unexpected. (I love the idea of parties or rituals to celebrate, but in my own case, I would have been mortified.)

Luckily, I caught a break after that, and didn't menstruate again for about two years, when I came on regularly.

But, my advice would be that if you have daughters with early onset puberty, I would find a very, very gentle way to somehow prepare them for menstruation, just on the off chance they have early menarche. If I'd just known it could happen so early, and possibly had some supplies to deal with it myself, I think I would have been able to deal a lot better.

[meemee]

i have a friend going thru this so this has been a shock. but for her puberty has started differently. no hair or breasts. but with her 7 year old - body odour change, moodiness, interest in the other sex as boyfriend and not just typical obsession, body oil change - scalp and face oily, concern about appearance.

for future ref :Parent/Teen Breakthrough: A Relationship Approach by Mira
Kirshenbaum.

The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls -- from
the American Girl Library,

The Period Book: Everything You Don't Want to Ask (But Need to
Know) -- by Karen Gravelle

Asking About Sex and Growing Up: A Question-and-Answer Book
for Boys and Girls, by Joanna Cole

[Robynee]

My niece's friend just got her first period at 9. It was quite a shock to my sil since she hadn't even considered bringing it up with my niece yet. And it started at their house!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention; their neighbor(good friends of the family) was over a few days later. He is in his early twenties. He was joking with my niece and called her a wimp. She responded with,"We'll see who's a wimp when you get your period!" He just went home dumbfounded. He had no idea what to say.






Edited to add something.

[stafl]

Originally Posted by meemee

i have a friend going thru this so this has been a shock. but for her puberty has started differently. no hair or breasts. but with her 7 year old - body odour change, moodiness, interest in the other sex as boyfriend and not just typical obsession, body oil change - scalp and face oily, concern about appearance.

Oh, man!! Yeah, the greasy hair! I forgot all about that! I was teased mercilessly by the other kids at school (then they got the greasy head two or three years later, but by then the damage was done). The oily face. Underarm stains. The STINKY FOOT bedroom syndrome. ewwww.... I am so not looking forward to my girls' going through puberty.

[LoveChild421]

I started getting pubic hair at around 8, a little breast development too, and then got my first period right after I turned 9. I had terrible acne then too- which no one else in my grade at school had. I had irregular periods and the Dr.s thought putting me on birth control at 9 years old was the way to go : thank god I don't have any reproductive problems now.

I remember my mom and dad both cried when I got my period- like my childhood was over- way too dramatic- I wish my mom had celebrated it, even at that age.

[Jennymom33]

Puberty

My dd is 8 years old also, and yes she is a lso growing pubic hair. Her twin brother however has no hair and has shown no sign of any growth... down there. My other ds started going through puberty when he was 12. He is 15 now and my other dd is 13, and she went through it when she was 9. They are growing up fast these days, so don't worry, it is normal