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Early puberty: what is normal and when is treatment indicated?
1Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. martin.ritzen@kbh.ki.se
Hormone Research
|December 13, 2003
Summary
Early puberty evaluation should consider psychological symptoms, not just height. This review highlights the importance of assessing mental health in early maturing children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Precocious puberty is often defined by specific age thresholds for endocrine investigation.
- Recent recommendations suggest lowering these thresholds, particularly for African-American girls.
- Short stature is a known outcome, but psychological impacts are increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the psychological aspects of early puberty.
- To emphasize the importance of evaluating non-height-related symptoms in early maturing children.
- To discuss the implications for endocrine investigation and treatment decisions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on psychological symptoms associated with precocious puberty.
- Analysis of current guidelines and criticisms regarding age-based referral criteria.
- Discussion of potential therapeutic interventions and their psychological outcomes.
Main Results:
- Early puberty is associated with significant short- and long-term psychological symptoms.
- Psychopathology is frequently observed in patients with precocious puberty.
- The effectiveness of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment in preventing psychological symptoms requires further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Referral criteria for precocious puberty should encompass psychological evaluations beyond just height.
- A comprehensive assessment is crucial for determining appropriate management strategies.
- Further research is needed to understand and mitigate the psychological sequelae of early puberty.