Question on Puberty

LegacyUser

Hi,

just a question about my 9 year old who has hair in the pubic area (good few) and now i noticed very very fine hair under arm not dark - im scared she is a big girl tall and has a little tummy on her but not over weight of anything.....any one out there with any wisdom for me - this is new too me shes wayyyyy too young RIGHT???

Thanks in advance

kp

Rochester

Nope, that is young alright but not uncommon.

December2012

Nope, in my family hair started about 8 or 9, periods soon after.

Have you spoken with her about her changing body, the hormones, periods, body hair and everything else? Does she have any questions?

LegacyUser

December2012 wrote: »

Nope, in my family hair started about 8 or 9, periods soon after.

Have you spoken with her about her changing body, the hormones, periods, body hair and everything else? Does she have any questions?

Yeah i have done the talk - she aint got any questions as such - touched on it about a year ago and she informed me only today after hitting on it again in more detail that "all the girls know at school"!!! to my shock so glad i had told her....still dont thinks she would understand if it came to it she suffers from a language Disorder and her understanding is not what it should be but i can only hope when she tells me she understands that she does!!!

Penny Dreadful

My sister got her period when she was 9. I was 12 but do remember hair, etc appearing for some time before hand.

Childhood as you know it passes by in the blink of an eye.

LadyMayBelle

If you search on this forum there's quite a few book recommendations for little girls on how to explain what's happening. I saw my kid sister (well, now 12 and three quarters!) hit puberty at 9 when I didnt till I was about 12/13.

ash23

My daughter is 10 and has had fine underarm hair since last year. It is now dark and she is developing breasts. So I think she'll probably end up starting her periods around the time she turns 11. This year (4th class) they learned about periods and puberty so she's well prepared. I also discuss it with her a lot and answer any questions.

Puberty is starting younger and younger unfortunately

2xj3hplqgsbkym

ash23 wrote: »

My daughter is 10 and has had fine underarm hair since last year. It is now dark and she is developing breasts. So I think she'll probably end up starting her periods around the time she turns 11. This year (4th class) they learned about periods and puberty so she's well prepared. I also discuss it with her a lot and answer any questions.

Puberty is starting younger and younger unfortunately

Yes there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence here to suggest that it is starting younger and younger, why I wonder?

Has it got to do with the hormones in our meat and dairy? The food we now consume? Without offending anyone is it because more children are overweight so their bodies are more like that of an 11 year old at 9?

December2012

I don't think it's actually starting younger. But we are more aware of it and so are proactive, whereas our grannies were not.

Outkast_IRE

Kaylee Some Termite wrote: »

Yes there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence here to suggest that it is starting younger and younger, why I wonder?

Has it got to do with the hormones in our meat and dairy? The food we now consume? Without offending anyone is it because more children are overweight so their bodies are more like that of an 11 year old at 9?

I think a better and more varied diet is responsible. But I don't think being overweight would help matters at all.

MurdyWurdy

December2012 wrote: »

I don't think it's actually starting younger. But we are more aware of it and so are proactive, whereas our grannies were not.

My granny got her period when she was 9 and was convinced she was dying - hadn't a clue what was happening to her!

ash23

I don't think it's starting younger per se. I know that I had my first period just after I turned 12. One of my sisters was 11.
That was 20 years ago.

December2012

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

My granny got her period when she was 9 and was convinced she was dying - hadn't a clue what was happening to her!

Yep. My sister was 9 and didn't tell anybody. She was very vocal about the issue when she had her own daughters.

Esoteric_

I got my period for the first time when I was 8, had started developing body hair and breasts a number of months prior to that. I ran, screaming to my mother, thinking I was dying. It's not hugely uncommon to hit puberty at that age, so just make sure she knows what's what and doesn't get a shock if she gets a period in the next year!

KCC

Kaylee Some Termite wrote: »

Yes there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence here to suggest that it is starting younger and younger, why I wonder?

Has it got to do with the hormones in our meat and dairy? The food we now consume? Without offending anyone is it because more children are overweight so their bodies are more like that of an 11 year old at 9?

I would say it's to do with better nourishment.

KCC

She's not way too young. It doesn't seem unusual to me at all. Normal puberty can start from the age of eight for girls. Periods may not follow for a few years yet.

Look up the HSE's Bodywhys booklets.

Morag

https://www.healthpromotion.ie/health/inner/busy_bodies