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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffPuberty is when your body changes from that of a child into an adult. It includes rapid growth of bones and muscles, changes in body shape and size, and development of your body's ability to reproduce.
Puberty normally begins in girls between ages 8 and 12 and in boys between ages 9 and 14. Precocious puberty is puberty that begins before age 8 for girls and before age 9 for boys.
The cause of precocious puberty often can't be found. Rarely, conditions such as infections, hormone disorders, tumors, brain abnormalities or injuries may cause precocious puberty. Treatment for precocious puberty typically includes medication to delay further development.
Symptoms
References
- Biro F. Normal puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
- Pralong FP. Diagnosis and treatment of delayed puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
- Saenger P. Overview of precocious puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
- Carel JC, et al. Precocious puberty. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;358:2366.
- Muir A. Precocious puberty. Pediatrics in Review. 2006;27:373.
- Precocious puberty. The Hormone Foundation. http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Growth/upload/bilingual_precocious_puberty.pdf. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
- Styne D. Precocious puberty (sexual precocity). In: Gardner DG, et al. Greenspan's Basic & Clinical Endocrinology. 8th edition. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2631040&searchStr=precocious+puberty. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
