Is My Child Starting Puberty? What’s Normal - and What’s Too Early?

Does your 7-year-old need deodorant or have acne? They can't be starting puberty already!

Maybe. But here’s something that surprises many parents.....

Pubic Hair Isn’t Always Puberty

There are two different hormonal processes involved in the changes we associate with puberty. And acne and hair are not necessarily the beginning of puberty.

Starting around ages 6–8, the adrenal glands start producing more hormones called androgens. This process, called adrenarche, can cause body odor, oily skin, acne, underarm hair and pubic hair.

True puberty starts with a different hormonal signal originating in the brain.

In girls, the first outward sign of true puberty is usually breast development. In boys, it’s usually enlargement of the testicles. So those are the signs that might be more worrisome if they are starting too early. Once true puberty gets underway, children also begin growing faster.

When Is Puberty Too Early?

Traditionally, we consider true puberty before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys to be "precocious", or early, puberty.

But those birthdays aren’t magical dividing lines. Normal puberty has a surprisingly wide range: breast development commonly begins between ages 8 and 13, while testicular enlargement typically begins between 9 and 14.

Pediatricians also look at how quickly puberty is progressing.

An 8-year-old with a small amount of breast development who is growing normally and shows little change six months later is very different from an 8-year-old who rapidly develops breasts, shoots up in height and progresses toward her first period over a short time.

Three Things Parents Should Watch

If you’re wondering whether your child is starting puberty, remember:

1. Know the first signs of true puberty. Breast development in girls and testicular enlargement in boys tell us more than body odor, acne or pubic hair alone.

2. Watch growth. A sudden increase in height can be an important clue that true puberty has begun.

3. Pay attention to both age and speed. Changes before 8 in girls or 9 in boys should be discussed with your pediatrician, but rapidly progressing puberty deserves attention even around the normal age range.

Most importantly, don’t panic. Puberty has a wide range of normal, and children in the same classroom can be years apart developmentally.

If something does seem early, your pediatrician can look at your child’s growth pattern, examine which changes are actually occurring and decide whether your child needs lab tests.

If puberty is coming too early, we have treatments that can slow it down. Listen to the episode below for details!