Precocious puberty

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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Signs and symptoms of precocious puberty include development of the following before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys.

Girls:

  • Breast growth
  • First period (menstruation)

Boys:

  • Enlarged testicles and penis
  • Facial hair (usually grows first on the upper lip)
  • Deepening voice

Both girls and boys:

  • Pubic or underarm hair
  • Rapid growth
  • Acne
  • Adult body odor

When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with your child's doctor for an evaluation if your child has any of the signs or symptoms of precocious puberty.

References
  1. Biro F. Normal puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
  2. Pralong FP. Diagnosis and treatment of delayed puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
  3. Saenger P. Overview of precocious puberty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 13, 2008.
  4. Carel JC, et al. Precocious puberty. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;358:2366.
  5. Muir A. Precocious puberty. Pediatrics in Review. 2006;27:373.
  6. Precocious puberty. The Hormone Foundation. http://www.hormone.org/Resources/Growth/upload/bilingual_precocious_puberty.pdf. Accessed Nov. 24, 2008.
  7. 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.

DS00883

Feb. 5, 2009

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