Puberty Before Age 10: A New "Normal"?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/magazine/puberty-before-age-10-a-new-normal.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=science
In this article, it tells the story of a little girl who began puberty as soon as first grade, but no doctor could explain why until finally, one said that it was a result of stress, insulin, and sugar. This has been studied since the 80's, as more girls begin growing breasts earlier and earlier, now at about 9.96 years old. There are however some factors that can cause an early puberty in young girls. The first would be their weight. The second, if their mothers, while pregnant, drank milk or ate meat with PBB, an estrogen-mimicking chemical. The third would be social stressful problems. The effects of an early puberty are depression, weakened bones, early sexual desires, more sex-partners, lower self-esteem, eating disorders, and anxiety. More research is being conducted on this matter.
Question: If girls are going through an earlier puberty than other girls of the same age, should the parents step in and have the girls take hormone-inhibiting medicine in order to delay the changes?
I don't think the parents should step in unless it's affecting the girl physically, because you can't help when a girl is going to hit puberty. But, if anything the parents should make an appointment with her doctor to see if there's anything wrong with her now or for future references.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the parents should intervene. Puberty is something that comes naturally and if is starts at 10 years old then so be it. Like Tiff said, I do think that they should at least go to a doctors so that the child and the parents are aware of what's going on with her body.
ReplyDeleteI do not think parents should give their girls drugs just to change the time they hit puberty. All children eventually hit puberty so why does it matter that they control it. They should just let the kid grow naturally.
ReplyDeleteI do not think parent should, though it may be odd an early at this age, if that is how they grew it should be more f an acceptance trying to
ReplyDeleteChange that factor.
I think if it is affecting a girls health and may have negative affects on her body and development in the future, then parents, if possible, should give their child the medicine because it will give them the best chance of being healthy adults.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think parents shouldn't step in because if it's healthy for them to go into an early stage of puberty then so be it.
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