Is your child showing signs of precocious puberty? Let's learn about Premature Adrenarche

Sometimes, as a parent, you may have noticed that your little daughter or son is experiencing changes in their body that are not quite appropriate for their age. Maybe they've developed armpit hair, or they've developed a bad odor from their body. It's normal to feel a little scared and worried when you see something like this. You may think, 'Oh, is my child going to go through puberty before this age?' Today we're talking about this condition that many parents are afraid of, but don't know exactly. In medical terms, we call this Premature Adrenarche .

Simply put, what is Premature Adrenarche?

To understand this, let's first look at what adrenarche is. Simply put, we all have two small, cap-like glands above our kidneys. These are called the adrenal glands. These glands produce several hormones that are essential for our body.

Usually, around the age of 5, these adrenal glands 'mature' a bit and start producing a new type of hormone (specifically a hormone called DHEA). This process is called Adrenarche.

But even though these hormonal changes happen inside the body, the symptoms usually start to show up around the age of 8 or 9. Things like armpit hair and pubic hair start to appear around that time. So, if a girl starts to show these symptoms before the age of 8 or a boy starts to show these symptoms before the age of 9, we call that condition Premature Adrenarche . That means that what should happen happens a little earlier, that's all.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

See if your child has these symptoms too. But remember, this is not a serious condition. Your child's body is just working on its own schedule.

Why don't things like breast growth happen?

This is a very important question. In Premature Adrenarche, hormones come from the adrenal gland. These hormones cause hair growth and sweat to smell.

However, for a girl's breasts to develop, her ovaries must produce a hormone called estrogen. Similarly, for a boy's genitals to develop, his testicles must produce testosterone. These events occur during true puberty, not premature adrenarche, when the brain signals it to do so.

Is this situation dangerous? Is there a risk?

Most of the time, this is not a dangerous situation. It won't harm the baby. However, it's good to be aware of a few small things.

• Risk of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): It has been found that girls with premature adrenarche are slightly more likely to develop a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) later in life, that is, at a young age. PCOS can cause irregular periods, unwanted facial hair, and weight gain.
• Other medical conditions: Very rarely , I emphasize again, very rarely, these symptoms can be a sign of an enzyme problem or a tumor in the adrenal gland.

That's why we always say that if your child has these symptoms, don't panic and definitely see a doctor for advice. That way, you can be sure that there's nothing to worry about.

Why is this happening? What are the reasons?

The exact cause of this is not yet known. It is simply that the adrenal glands start producing hormones like DHEA earlier than the normal age (after 10 years).

But there's something good here. That is, the child's body doesn't produce 'too much' of hormones, it just produces the 'right amount' a little 'earlier'. Therefore, the symptoms aren't overly visible, they're just visible earlier.

Sometimes this condition can occur in children who are overweight . But it can also occur in children who are underweight. Also, children who are underweight at birth are at slightly higher risk.

How does the doctor diagnose this?

When you take your child to a doctor, he or she will first examine the child thoroughly. These are the steps you can usually follow:

• Monitoring the child's growth: The child's height and weight are measured and compared with growth charts. It is important to see if the child is growing at a normal rate.
• Blood Tests: Hormone levels in the blood, especially levels of hormones like DHEA-S, can be checked.
• Hand X-ray: This measures the child's 'bone age'. If the bone age is much higher than the child's actual age, it may be a sign of precocious puberty.

Is there a treatment for this? How can I help the child?

There is no specific treatment for Premature Adrenarche. Although there are medications that actually control puberty, they do not affect this condition.

So, rather than thinking about treatment, we need to focus on the child's mental well-being . Just think, when his body changes earlier than his friends, he may feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. Maybe his friends at school may even make fun of him. How hurtful would it be if someone said something like, "Oh, you've got moles under your armpits?"

Therefore, the best thing you can do as a parent is:

1. Talk to your child: Lovingly explain to them that what's happening to their body is completely normal, that these things happen to others later on, and that it just happened to you a little earlier.

2. Build self-confidence: Appreciate his talents and help him build self-esteem.

3. Teach about cleanliness: To control body odor, teach them to bathe thoroughly every day and use a mild deodorant if necessary.

4. See the doctor: When you see the doctor and realize that this is nothing to be afraid of, you and your child will feel a great sense of relief.

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