My friend wanted me to ask, as she is not good with such online things. Her daughter who is 8, has been hitting a stage where she is emotional about everything, crying at the slightest thing, getting acne already, and just in all round about mood that usually gives one hints their child is reaching this puberty stage. They just found out she has a thyroid problem, and she is now on medication for that, which she believed was part of the cause of her new emotional state, she is wondering if it though could be a cause of concern that her child might be hitting puberty early? The poor girl has got all kinds of medical issues that run in her mothers family, this is just one more thing she doesn't want for her child. Any ideas, or suggestions or comments. Thank you.
She needs to see a pediatric endocrinologist. She should be seeing one already due to the thyroid condition but if she's not, get her to one ASAP.
The endocrinologist who diagnosed her thyroid problem would be the best person to ask.
I would say not necessarily. One of my daughters started breaking out around age 8 and I thought "wth??" It stopped and she's now 10 with no other real signs of puberty. And she was also pretty emotional around age 8 and that has settled down too.
Someone I work with told me her friends daughter was beginning to grow breasts at 7 years old. Their pediatrician suggested the mom give her daughter only organic eggs, milk and meat. Animals are feed so many hormones. Long story short, she did and her daughters breasts subsided. Your friend could switch to organic dairy and meat. Organic is a bit pricey but as a mom, I'd try it. Good luck to your friend.
My daughter is 9 (will be 10 next week) and she has had some really awful mood swings the last year. It's been getting better though the last couple of months. She is also breaking out in zits and has to wear a trainer bra. No arm pit hair yet though. I think your daughter sounds normal/maybe slightly early for this. Everyone is different.
Her diet can push her into early puberty. Fast foods have pushed the whole country into earlier puberty than when I was a kid...and even before my older sister's generation. Clean food, absorbable nutrition, the ridding of synthetic chemicals in her home can be a good start. It will at least get her to a baseline of health so ANY diagnosis will be more accurate.
The thyroid issue can be exacerbated by synthetic chemicals as well (home and food)....
Regards,
M.
I remember being eleven when I got my first period. Unless it's really terrible why play with nature? what kind of other medical issues? that might help in some of our answers
Yes, but that doesn't mean she's hitting puberty "early."
Puberty starts YEARS BEFORE a girl gets her first period. It does sound like she's starting to experience SOME hormonal changes, but that doesn't mean everything is going to come on rapidly. She's likely to stay very much like this for another year or so... then develop breast buds... then body hair... THEN get her period.
Sounds like she's already seeing a doctor for her other health issues, though, so why not just ask?
I am 44 years old. I started getting breast buds around the age of 8 or 9. That is the beginning of puberty. I didn't get my period until I was closer to 12 though. I remember in 6th grade sex ed they were asking if anyone had started their periods yet and there were a couple that had. Puberty is a process that covers several years. Some girls start it earlier and some later. Some go through it faster and some speed right through it.
Her doctor is the best one to talk to about all of this.
Yes, google how young they're hitting it now and you'll be surprised.
Some 8 years old girls have even given birth.
Have mom give the girl half a Motrin, if that's an appropriate dosage, I do NOT have a bottle in front of me to see the label. Do NOT overdose her okay?
But when hormones start raging and changing and stuff it can take years and it can take months. Tween girls are changing and have been doing this at this age for generations. This isn't something new. It's just more recognized because we look at stuff like this differently nowadays.
When we were kids ours moms didn't automatically jump to the idea of "it's puberty" when we came home from school in a bad mood or acting odd. It was just a "stage" we were going through. Now we know more, we have better science, and we know our bodies were changing and that was the cause of many of our issues.
So adolescence hasn't changed, we have more knowledge and recognize it.
This is the start of puberty, its when the hormones are just beginning to change. My daughter who is also 8 is starting to change as well. She can be extremely cranky one minute and fine the next, she is getting arm pit hair (just a few dark ones) and has started getting oily skin and hair.
Her friends are going through the same thing.
She should see a pediatric endocrinologist.
sounds like the thyroid meds are making her hit puberty early, talk to her ped. about reducing the dosage of the thyroid pills. the older the girl is when puberty sets in ( on its own), the easier it is for the girl to handle the unwanted male attention that puberty brings. K. h.
