Precocious Puberty

Precocious Puberty General Information

The patient’s hypothalamus is known to be responsible for the onset of puberty. The hypothalamus is the brain area that plays an important part in controlling the function of the pituitary gland). The hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland, making it release hormones that stimulate the boys’ testicles and the girls’ ovaries to start secreting sex hormones. In some cases, the presence of this medical disorder stems from a structural defection of the individual’s brain (like the presence of a brain tumor), problems of the thyroid or of the ovaries, head trauma, the presence of an infectious medical disorder of the brain (like meningitis). Most girls who suffer from Precocious Puberty do not present any underlying medical disorder (physicians are not able to find a reason for their early development). However, although male patients are less prone to developing this medical disorder, they generally present an underlying cause. 5% of the whole number of male patients is suffering from the inherited form of this disease.

Precocious Puberty Symptoms

Female patients (girls) who are suffering from this medical disorder present their first symptoms when they are about 7 years old. The most common signs that a female child should present are: breast development, acne, presence of menstruation, rapid growth of hair, underarm hair development, pubic hair development, mature body odor, and so on. Male patients (boys) who are suffering from this clinical disorder (Precocious Puberty) start to present early symptoms of puberty even before their 9th birthday. Most boys who are diagnosed with this medical condition present enlargement of the penis, enlargement of the testicles, development of facial hair, development of underarm hair or of pubic hair, voice deepening, mature body odor, acne, and so on.

Many young children who start to show some of the clinical manifestations that are widely associated with the presence of this medical disorder are diagnosed with “partial” Precocious Puberty. In other words, their symptoms will disappear later or they will persist without the child experiencing further symptoms (physical changes) that are associated with puberty. The difference between the true form of this disease and its partial form can only be made through clinical evaluations. However, children who are suffering from the partial form of this medical condition generally do not require any therapy for their disorder.

Children who are suffering from Precocious Puberty are not to generally fail to reach their full potential adult height, although during childhood they will be considered tall children (when compared to others of their age). However, their growth stops sooner than normally.  Female patients who are suffering from this clinical illness are known to become embarrassed or confused about their physical changes. Most female patients who present this condition become irritable and moody, while boys become abnormally aggressive.

Precocious Puberty Treatment

The newest hormonal therapy approach against this medical condition employs the intake of certain medicines that are known as LHRH analogs. These medical products are actually synthetic hormones that should be able to block the organism’s production of sex hormones (the ones that are responsible for the development of Precocious Puberty). The whole benefits of the child’s therapy with such medicines are generally seen after a year of continuous treatment. Such medical products are considered safe for children of almost all ages. A therapy with such a product will determine a decrease in the female child’s breast size (or at least, it will prevent the breasts from enlarging any further). Boys who will follow a treatment with such medicines will also present significant improvement.

The patient’s growing rate will diminish, until it reaches normal levels. The behavior of the child should also improve, becoming similar to that of a normal infant. A treatment with such medicines should not cause any unpleasant or disturbing side effects. All parents should provide their children with truthful but simple and logical explanations about what is happening to them. They should know that such changes are natural for older teenagers. The child who is suffering from Precocious Puberty should be constantly informed about his or her therapy. The good news is that this medical disorder can be treated. There are several medical products that are widely employed in the therapy against this hormonal clinical illness. The most common of them include the following drugs: Viadur, Synarel, Soltamox, Nolvadex, and so on.