Patient's question:
My younger brother's child seems to be experiencing precocious puberty. He hasn't grown in height this year. What should the child do? Are there any good methods?Doctor's answer:
The recent trend and harm of childhood precocious puberty are far more severe than people imagine. In China, 1 out of every 100 children suffers from precocious puberty. Early detection, early treatment, and early prevention of precocious puberty have become a topic of increasing concern for young parents.Early signs of precocious puberty in girls include accelerated growth in height and pelvic development; hard lumps under the breasts, swelling, and pain; enlargement, elevation, and discoloration of the areolas and breasts; discoloration and the appearance of lighter-colored long hair on the labia majora and armpits; increased vaginal discharge, a small amount of discharge on underwear, and itching in the genital area.
Simple breast development does not hinder a child's normal development and has a good prognosis. It does not require special treatment, as most cases can resolve on their own before puberty. A very small number may persist until after puberty, and an even rarer few may develop into true precocious puberty.