Features of central precocious puberty

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Minh Tuan - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Central precocious puberty due to the maturation of the hypothalamic axis of the pituitary gland causes an increase in the secretion of gonadotropic hormones by the pituitary gland, which stimulates the gonads to secrete sex hormones. Puberty is a time of great change in physical, psychological and sexual function. Puberty is considered premature if it begins before age 8 in girls and 9 years old in boys.

1. Characteristics of Central Precocious Puberty From birth to before puberty, the gonads (testes for men and ovaries for women), pituitary gland, and hypothalamus are inactive. When there is a strong enough stimulation from the limbic region (limbatic system), it will stimulate the hypothalamus to secrete enough Gn-RH and activate the functional activity of the hypothalamic, pituitary, and gonadal axis, causing the puberty statue. Central precocious puberty is due to the degeneration of the pubertal center that stimulates the aforementioned axis system.
In boys, the starting point of puberty is when the volume of the testicles increases by more than 4ml and the mark of complete puberty is the first ejaculation. Complete puberty in boys aged 15-16 years (Vietnam). In girls, the onset of puberty is counted from the time the mammary gland begins to develop (in Vietnam, it is usually 8-10 years old). Puberty is marked by the first menstrual period around the age of 13-14.
2. Changes of the body during early puberty Precocious puberty is not uncommon in children today. The body changes during puberty in boys and girls have some differences.
In women, during this period, under the influence of estrogen and progesterone, body metabolism increases sharply, children grow rapidly in height and weight, body is soft and balanced, body has curves, fat layer. subcutaneously develops especially in some areas such as breasts, buttocks, pelvis and appears secondary sexual characteristics such as pubic hair growth, armpit hair, clearer voice, more significant psychological changes in the way behavior... The genital organs such as uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, vulva, mammary glands are developed in both size and function. In men, under the influence of testosterone and GH of the pituitary gland, the body grows rapidly, especially muscle mass. During puberty, the testes begin to produce sperm and secrete testosterone. At this time, the body grows rapidly, secondary male sexual characteristics appear: voice deepens, beard grows, pubic hair grows, children begin to have sexual and reproductive activities.

3. Is early puberty worrying? When there is any change in appearance, children always wonder. If they feel that they are naturally taller than you or a little fatter than you, they will have low self-esteem when interacting with people. Early puberty means that a girl begins to see her breasts rise if her parents do not pay attention, talking to her child will make the child's psyche shy to live alone, or a male friend with a hoarse voice will also feel embarrassed. is notable for being easily teased by classmates.
Children with early puberty, the lack of a number of micronutrients to help skeletal muscle and height development is inevitable. Taking care of children with early puberty is to help parents properly influence the development of bones and height of their children in adulthood, besides, it also helps children learn about their bodies early to know how to protect themselves. and care.
In today's modern society, the situation of children with precocious puberty is increasing day by day. Therefore, parents should spend more time taking care of their children, limit feeding their children fast food, increase physical activity and sports, and limit viewing electronic devices... There are many factors that cause early puberty in children.
Besides, so that parents can be assured of their child's development, Vinmec International General Hospital has developed a screening package for early puberty for children. With this test package, your baby will be examined with a leading expert in Pediatric Endocrinology, have sex hormone blood tests, bone age assessment tests, brain MRI scans or some specialized tests. to determine the correct cause of precocious puberty and intervene promptly. The examination process is carried out methodically and up to standards, so parents can rest assured.