/? 010710" Early Breast Development In Girls

It would not be unusual finding yourself having the "puberty talk" with your preteen daughter, but what if you are forced to deal with a menstruating nine-year-old who is still playing with Barbie dolls? Instead of worrying about finishing her homework, your daughter must now carry the extra burden of remembering to take a sanitary napkin to school. Coping with puberty is challenging enough, but when girls grow up too fast, it can even prove more difficult.

What age is early?

The "normal" age of puberty ranges from 8 to 13 years of age. However, times have really changed because only when puberty starts before eight is it deemed early. In the 1800s, girls did not even sprout breasts until age 13 and usually began their periods at 16 years old. In fact, at one point in time, girls who developed breasts at nine years old were perceived as abnormal, but this is no longer the case. The average age for breast development, now, is around nine years old, with menarche (first menstrual period) typically beginning at 12 years.

Another interesting trend is that we are seeing more time elapse between the time that breasts develop and the onset of periods. Whereas, before it typically took about a year for a girl to get her period after developing breasts, now it is not uncommon for three years to go by before the beginning of menstruation. /? 010710" Early Breast Development In Girls

Even though many studies show that early puberty is noticed all over the world, exact numbers in the Middle East are not found, but the pattern seems to be that one out of every six eight-year-old girls in the USA, Australia and Britain are speeding into puberty.

Puberty 101

The first sign of puberty in girls is usually the development of small bumps in the chest region; however, for a small minority, pubic hair may be the first to show up. You may also notice that your daughter's skin changes from baby soft to spotty, signally the dreaded beginning of teenage acne. A stronger body odor is also common. Your daughter will get suddenly taller and put on some weight, particularly in the midsection and hip areas. Do not be surprised if your daughter is not as carefree and becomes more moody.

She may have an aggressive attitude, cry easily and be extremely self-conscious. Soon thereafter, your daughter will start her period and will develop underarm hair, which comes towards the end of puberty. The whole puberty process takes about two to three years, but can take longer. It is interesting to note that height growth slows down once the period starts, and as a general rule, a girl will grow no more than six centimeters after her first period. /? 010710" Early Breast Development In Girls