Puberty can be defined as the commencement of sexual maturity. Puberty is the period when a child changes physically, hormonally and sexually hence becoming able to produce. Early puberty means having the signs of puberty (development of breasts, testes, pubic and underarm hair, body odor, menstrual bleeding and increased growth rate) earlier than usual. Early puberty is when the signs of puberty appear before age 8 in a girl or 9 in a boy.
Most cases of early puberty have no known cause. In some cases the pituitary gland, which regulates the release of most of the body’s hormones, signals the ovaries and the testicles to begin hormone production prematurely. Signs of puberty may appear early because of ovary and testicle abnormalities. Some possible underlining causes of early puberty without any known cause are thought to be obesity, social factors and environmental contamination. As a resposible parent it becomes your responsibility to make sure that your child passes through this phase of life with ease.