[JaneDoe2010]

Has anyone here had a DD go through puberty early? My 8 year old is and I'm so sad for her. sad.gif She's been wearing deodorant for a year now, has small breasts developing, a couple of instances of vaginal discharge and now hair starting under her arms. Paed also thinks rapid weight and height increase in last year could be due to puberty too.

We are seeing all the relevant professionals, but I'd love to hear of the experience of others. Did they try to halt it? Why/why not? How? How long from early symptoms until period? Did she still grow in height?

Thanks.

(posted here for more traffic)

[Duechristmasday]

My DD is now 10 and started developing very early too. Has small boobs, so we finally bought her some bonds trainer bra's last week. Her breasts started developing at 8 years. I also am finding that she is putting on weight, irritable and has also grown in height significantly. She has not really had any other symptoms.

I would google early menstruation in girls and see what sort of answers you will get. It is not uncommon for girls to start their periods in grade 5 now. None of my daughters friends seem to be developing as quickly.

[kpingitquiet]

Not experience with my child but experience for myself. I was wearing a much-needed bra in 3rd grade (8yo), had bad acne from 7yo onward, got my period shortly before my 11th birthday, stopped growing by 13 with stressful stretches of growth and gain before then taking me from the tallest in the class to one of the shortest in only a couple years time. Was a DD cup by 12/13, too.

Not sure if I can offer any advice, but it's very normal in my family, but even then I was still a bit of a genius at the whole thing (ie, a few months earlier than even my earliest aunt/cousin., a few cupsizes bigger, blahblah).

[kpingitquiet]

Btw, to the best of my knowledge, 8yo is just beyond the reach of precocious puberty as far as breast development is concerned. It is not that unusual for 8yos to start developing breasts. Pubic hair before 9yo is just barely outside the edge of the normal range but I don't think it's so early that you should consider halting it with hormone treatment, unless there are underlying mental/emotional impairment issues? Don't be sad. Start teaching her to celebrate the changes and manage any discomfort as best she can.

[Beancat]

Oh your poor baby girl

I don't know the answers but have seen this topic posted a few times on EB. My only two suggestions wold be to have a talk to her about periods so if it does arrive soon she doesnt get a terrible fright. Maybe pack some pads etc in her school bag and have a talk to her teacher about where she is at.

Also (you may have done so already), buy her some of those Bonds bra tops/crop singlets to wear under t-shirts. It just provides an extra layer of protection from prying eyes from others (sinister or not) and may give her a little more self confidence.

[KT1978]

Happened to me, had a c cup by the time I was 12, periods at 11.

My Mum didn't really cope, I remember feeling painfully embaressed about it, but I think my Mum being embaressed and encouraging me to stop wearing leotards to gymnastics, and feeling so uncomfortable about it rubbed off. She also talked to Dad/other relatives about it like I had contracted leprosy or something! Other kids were pretty awful too by commenting on it and I also got by the age of 12/13 very obvious male attention from adults which was yucky (I was very tall, skinny long legs and big boobs - the kind of body I'd love now but hated at the time and was mistaken for a 16/17 year old).

DD is developing early also, probably made worse by the fact she has always been a bit chubby which makes boobs bigger. I started shaving under her arms last year. She has crop tops and I've just got her wearing deoderant for sport and hot days. I'm thinking recently its time to make sure she has access to pads and things in her school bag just in case.

I've been lucky with her though, that I haven't made it a big deal, I've emphasised that all her friends will get this, if not in year 5 it will be year 6 and 7. She doesn't seem worried about it. I've
tried to make sure her clothes fit well and don't emphasis her chest and that kind of thing too. This was going to happen to her at some stage, so I'm more trying to make sure its not an emotionally hard thing - physically its only really a year or two early. Luckily she is not the only one in her class - I was the only one in my class which made it worse - so its not a big deal in that way.

[ILBB]

There was a topic very recently - a member's child got her period early and someone posted a link to a great bike pant that guarantee no leakage and look just like bike pants. I wonder if anyone remembers the name??? Might be helpful if your daughter starts menstruating soon as well.

[JaneDoe2010]

There was a topic very recently - a member's child got her period early and someone posted a link to a great bike pant that guarantee no leakage and look just like bike pants. I wonder if anyone remembers the name??? Might be helpful if your daughter starts menstruating soon as well.

Ooh that could be handy!

She has been wearing the little crop top style bra for at least 6-8 months now. She knows lots about puberty, has read a good book and we always answer questions for her.

I did have a feeling she'd be on the borderline for precocious puberty where they'd halt it, the paed was in two minds about it. My curiousity was whether the saying that they stop growing in height after puberty was true and if so, would that mean she'd be terribly short? She's very short now, as it is, so if puberty starts and stops early that could be a concern. I don't know. We will most likely see an endocrinologist (paed suggested the possibility) we're just waiting on some test results back first (bloods, plus MRI due to other issues as well).

My sadness is really because she's so young to go through with this. She won't cope. She has Aspergers and anxiety and I know I'll end up at school helping with toileting if the period follows too soon. And who wants all that at 8?

[Princess.cranky....]

My DD is 8 in April. She is starting develop in the chest. I think she will need some bra singlets this year.

No other changes so far apart from putting on bit of weight around the tummy and growing tall. Is there any issues with early puberty?

DD is so young, she is my baby and I don't want this for her yet. When it happens I will celebrate it with her, but really getting your periods when you are so young is not great. I wore bras in grade 7 (primary school here). It was not fun being one of very few girls needing bras.

I am also worried DD will the horrible acne that I did. I have terrible scars from it and I will go to hell and back to prevent that happening to my girls.

[kpingitquiet]

Her other challenges could make it a difficult process for both of you. As for height, I topped out at around 5'3" so not exceedingly short, but below average. I think following up with an endo is a great plan, but otherwise just keep it factual, normal, supportive.. and those bike pants sound awesome! Wish I'd had some.

Oh, as an aside, does her school have an on-staff nurse? Our school nurse was awesome and kept extra menstrual supplies, kept spare clothes on hand, kept a stash of travel-sized deodorant etc. If there is one, would clue in the school nurse and she/he may be able to give you some ideas as I'm sure they've seen it in the school before, maybe even with kids with compounding issues at play,.