Puberty is a transitional period between childhood and young adulthood during which the individual acquires the ability to reproduce. In a small number of children, this development occurs early, which may result in adverse effects on social behavior and psychological development, and may reduce the potential for adult height.
Puberty is the consequence of various hormonal changes. The most visibly obvious physical changes are the development of sexual characteristics and more rapid growth, i.e., the opposite of delayed puberty.
The age of onset of these changes is influenced by various factors, such as genetic, ethnic, nutritional and environmental factors. In turn, it must be differentiated from precocious puberty, which is the development of pubic hair before the age of 9.5 years in boys.
For puberty to be considered precocious, it must occur before the age of nine in boys, and the testes will produce sex hormones by production of hormones from the pituitary and hypothalamus.
The first physical change in boys is testicular growth to a volume greater than 4 ml.
Causes of central precocious puberty
Precocious puberty may be due to the following:
- Idiopathic or constitutional.
- Brain damage, due to trauma, infection or irradiation.
- Hypothalamic hamartoma produces pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone.
- Hydrocephalus, meningitis or brain tumors.
- McCune-Albright syndrome.
- Angelman syndrome.
- Suprasellar arachnoid cysts.
- High levels of beta – hCG in serum and cerebrospinal fluid observed in 9-year-old children may suggest the presence of a pineal gland tumor.
Peripheral causes of precocious puberty
Secondary sexual development found to be induced by sex steroids from abnormal sources is known as peripheral precocious puberty or precocious pseudopuberty. It is caused by the following:
- Adrenocortical oncocytomas are rare, and most benign and nonfunctional tumors.
- Adrenal hyperplasia.
- Gonadal tumors.
- Adrenal tumors.
- Familial precocious puberty limited to males.
- Exogenous environmental hormones.
- Phenotypically appropriate secondary sexual characteristics
Final conclusions
Although the causes of precocious puberty are not yet clear, girls who have a high-fat diet and are not physically active or are obese are more likely to mature physically earlier.
Apart from diet and exercise habits, exposure to estrogen-like substances is another possible cause of precocious puberty.
In addition, although boys face fewer problems during early puberty than girls, it does not necessarily have to be positive for them. Early sexual maturation in boys may be accompanied by increased aggressiveness due to the increase in these hormones.
Thus, as they appear older than their peers, they may face greater social pressure to conform to adult norms, although their cognitive and social development does not match their appearances.
In turn, several studies have shown that early maturing adolescents are more likely to be sexually active and engage in risky behaviors.
For more information, consult an Endocrinology specialist.