normal for an 8yo girl??

[sarahG]

My 8yo dd (oldest child) has had body odor for several mos now, then this week has been moody, extremely defiant, talking back, and extra emotional, I figured she needs to be back in school w/ her peers but my mother said "well women in our family have been known to begin their cycles as young as 9 or 10, probably b/c of all the thyroid issues" I thought "whatever, mom" til the very next day my daughter showed me a pimple on her chin and today I noticed her leg hair has recently become longer and darker.

So that's normal, right? Not like a sign of increased hormone levels?

Right?

Sarah

[moondiapers]

Originally Posted by sarahG

My 8yo dd (oldest child) has had body odor for several mos now, then this week has been moody, extremely defiant, talking back, and extra emotional, I figured she needs to be back in school w/ her peers but my mother said "well women in our family have been known to begin their cycles as young as 9 or 10, probably b/c of all the thyroid issues" I thought "whatever, mom" til the very next day my daughter showed me a pimple on her chin and today I noticed her leg hair has recently become longer and darker.

So that's normal, right? Not like a sign of increased hormone levels?

Right?

Sarah

both
yes it's normal, yes it's a sign in increased hormone levels (which is normal around this age)

[maliceinwonderland]

My 8 year old has none of those things going on. Except the crappy attitude, but that's just her sometimes

[Olympia177]

Can this apply to 8 yo boys also? DS is as attitude-y as all get out, and moody, etc. Frankly, it's really annoying:. I would love to know this is yet another "phase", or normal bump in the road of growing up.

[EmilyVorpe]

I started my menstrual cycles around age 7.5-8 years.
I had breasts from age 7 on-- enough that I can remember wearing a "training bra" to 1st grade. My doctors told my mother it was from the amount of chemicals in my food...like, my body had to adjust somehow and thats how it did it.

[Mirzam]

I don't think I could say it was "normal" but it certainly seems to be common for girls to commence puberty earlier than in the past. I have had two 8 year old girls and neither of them had body odor, increased moodiness, pimples or increased growth of body hair at that age. My eldest start first showing signs of puberty at around 11.5 to 12, and my middle DD, who will be 11 in a few weeks looks like she will also follow a similar pattern as her sister.

[MusicianDad]

As the father of a 9yo dd who's been wearing a bra for more then 6 months and showing signs of puberty for at least a year, I would say yes it's normal.

I think the guidelines for normal puberty are starting between 8 - 16 for girls and 9 -14 for boys.

[onlyzombiecat]

Yes it is normal and is hormonal.

puberty starts between ages 8 and 13 in girls

from http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/puberty.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/...g_puberty.html

If it runs in your family for girls to start their cycles around 9 or 10 then I would say it is likely that your dd might follow the same pattern.

My 8 year old dd has some early signs of puberty.
I don't remember when I started having changes in my body like BO or pubic hair but I do know a few girls in my class started menstruating around age 10. I was 11 or 12 with my first period.
My sister was older than I was when she started her period. I know my mom was starting to get concerned about her.


Precocious puberty for girls is showing signs of puberty before age 7.
http://www.med.umich.edu/1Libr/yourchild/puberty.htm

[lifeguard]

I would agree it sounds like puberty has begun. Have you started talking to her about puberty yet? It would be terrible for her period to be a surprise.

For the poster with the boy - it is possible but it's a lot less common for boys to start puberty so young.

[1xmom]

My dd gets body odor when she has been out playing alot and is really hot and sweaty. She does wear deodorant, but not on a regular basis yet. I do check her now and then for other signs (hair, breast, etc), but so far I haven't seen anything. As far as her moods, she has always been a moody kind of person, so that one will be hard to tell for me.

[MommaFox]

She's alright. I got my cycle at 9. And I remember getting my breasts over night. Well, maybe not that fast, but I remember my mom saying "We'll go out this weekend and get you some training bras." and this weekend came, and I was in a B cup. The principal called her and told her to ask me to stop stuffing my bra as it was too distracting! She told me what was gonna happen, then it happened and we all went out to dinner. Make it a big deal, but not in a bad way.

[harrietsmama]

Yep, I did that. on the early side of normal, but still normal.