Why do children with precocious puberty need to be examined and treated?

The article is professionally consulted by Dr., Doctor Bui Phuong Thao - Pediatric Center, Vinmec Times City International Hospital. Doctor Thao has more than 20 years of experience in the field of Pediatrics, currently working at the National Children's Hospital. Her strength is in the diagnosis, treatment and care of infants and young children, examination and treatment of endocrinology.

Nowadays, material life is gradually improved, early puberty in children is becoming more and more popular. However, many parents believe that early puberty is a natural phenomenon that does not need examination or treatment without knowing that it has a significant impact on the health and psychology of the child. Understanding the role of examination and treatment for children with precocious puberty will help parents have the right approach to handle and protect the healthy development of their children.

Normally, puberty usually starts at 8-13 years old for girls and 9-14 years old for boys. Precocious puberty is defined as the development of secondary sexual characteristics earlier than normal (in girls under 8 years of age, menarche before age 9 and in boys under 9 years).
Precocious puberty occurs 10 times more often in girls than in boys. Girls with precocious puberty have symptoms such as breast development, breast buds, areola slightly raised and slightly enlarged, appearance of armpit hair, pubic hair, change in shape of external genitalia and menstruation. . In boys, early puberty causes signs such as enlarged testicles and penis, darkening of the scrotum, pubic or armpit hair, beard (usually first on the upper lip), acne, His voice deepened and smelled like an adult.
There are 3 types of precocious puberty in children including:
Central precocious puberty (or true precocious puberty): Due to early activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, dependent on gonadotropic hormones. Peripheral precocious puberty (or pseudoprecocious puberty): Independent of pituitary stimulation, independent of gonadotropin. Partial precocious puberty (or separate, incomplete precocious puberty): Precocious and individual development of a secondary, nonprogressive or very slowly progressive sexual characteristic.

The delay in the treatment of early puberty in children is partly due to the fact that young parents are not aware of the dangers of early puberty. Here are some effects of early puberty on children's health and psychology:
The first effect can be mentioned that early puberty will cause the bones to close prematurely, shortening the growth period. The height of children after puberty slows down, often lower than their peers, causing many cases of children with precocious puberty to be short. Menstruation before the age of 9 in girls also reduces blood flow in the body, leading to less oxygen to the brain, causing nerve cell death and leading to stroke, potentially fatal. People. On the other hand, large population studies have shown that girls with early puberty have an increased risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular events later in menopause. Early puberty in children also negatively affects the psychology of children. Children tend to develop physiologically before their age. Changes in the body of children with precocious puberty are different from those of their peers, which is also the source of psychological problems that make children shy, easy to make children have low self-esteem and leave sequelae for children. young as an adult. Early puberty causes children to have sexual desires before their age. Due to immature thinking, young age, poor self-control ability, it is inevitable to avoid social pitfalls, which can easily lead to sexual abuse, premature pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. sexual route. Children with precocious puberty are too young to cope with the changes of their bodies, combined with limited sex education in many places, which often makes them lack the skills to take care of their bodies.

On the basis of the negative effects of precocious puberty on children, the treatment of precocious puberty for children aims to:
Improve height. Stops sexual maturation. Reduce the risk of early sexual intercourse. Sexual abuse. Prevention of psychological disorders.

For cases of partial precocious puberty, there is no need for treatment, parents need to pay attention to periodically monitor every 3 months.
For cases of central precocious puberty or peripheral precocious puberty, treatment lasts until the mean age of puberty (approximately 10 - 11 years of age), when treatment is stopped, the clinical development of puberty will occur. sieve and biology will be repeated.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : Including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professor, associate professor, doctorate, master), rich experience, worked in big hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.