Patient's question:
Schools don't talk much about how early one matures, but now I've been mature for many years, it's so annoying. I matured early, but my height didn't grow noticeably. My parents don't understand at all. I'm very frustrated now. This kind of thing only happens in China.Doctor's answer:
What is known as precocious puberty is the early onset of sexual development. In China, boys are considered to have precocious puberty if they exhibit sexual development before the age of nine. Generally, it is necessary to take the child to the pediatric endocrinology department of a children's hospital for examination. Bone age and pituitary MRI, as well as sex hormone tests, are required. Early completion of development also means early closure, so children tend to grow taller initially but end up with a shorter final height. At the age of twenty-three, the growth plates have already closed, and once they are closed, height cannot increase further.