Precocious Puberty: Isosexual Precocious Puberty and Its Implications
January 2000
in “
Pediatrics in review
”
TLDR Early sexual development in children, especially girls, can be treated with hormone therapy to improve adult height and requires support for the child and family.
The document from 24 years ago discussed isosexual precocious puberty, which is the early onset of sexual development in children. This condition is concerning due to potential underlying disorders causing premature sexual development, the possibility of short adult stature due to rapid skeletal maturation from early sex hormone secretion, and potential psychosocial difficulties. The Sexual Maturity Rating (SMR)(Tanner) stages of sexual development were described. In girls, breast budding (thelarche) is usually the first sign of puberty, with pubic hair growth (pubarche) being the initial pubertal sign in 15% of girls. Menarche, the onset of menstruation, typically occurs 2 years after thelarche, and peak height velocity is reached at 12 years in girls.
