Mistaking early puberty for physical development

Children experiencing early puberty are initially taller than their peers, leading parents to attribute this to nutrition and exercise. However, according to Master, Doctor Do Tien Son from the Department of Pediatrics at Tam Anh General Hospital, early puberty causes sex hormones to stimulate growth plate fusion at an accelerated rate. Children may experience rapid growth but then stop growing before reaching adulthood.

Avoiding milk and legumes

When children develop breast buds, parents often suspect cow's milk and legumes are the cause and eliminate them from the diet. However, these are broken down by digestive enzymes and lose their activity once in the bloodstream. The isoflavone compounds in soy have weak activity and are insufficient to stimulate the endocrine axis to cause puberty at normal consumption levels.

Strict avoidance of these foods can lead to calcium and protein deficiencies in children, directly impacting bone density and hindering height development. According to recommendations from the National Institute of Nutrition, children one to three years old with good appetites should drink 500-600 ml of milk per day, while picky eaters in the same age group can consume 700-800 ml per day. Children three to 19 years old can drink about 400-600 ml of milk daily. Only excessive milk consumption leads to surplus energy, accumulating excess fat tissue which secretes estrogen, thereby accelerating the process of early puberty.

Doctor Son states that breast bud development in girls aged two to eight years old can be a benign form of breast development, requiring only regular monitoring. Instead of reducing nutrition, parents should take their children for a specialist examination to differentiate between a benign phenomenon and true early puberty, ensuring correct intervention.

Doctor Son explains a child's bone age to parents. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

Missing the intervention window

Many parents mistakenly believe that menstruation in girls or ejaculation in boys signifies the onset of puberty. However, these are signs of complete puberty, at which point the growth plates have already closed. Doctor Son explains that using GnRH agonist medication at this stage is no longer effective for improving height.

Doctors advise parents to pay attention to subtle changes such as breast development in girls or testicular enlargement in boys, body odor, acne, or sudden mood swings. Beyond the risk of short stature later in life due to early puberty, physical differences can also lead to children feeling self-conscious, anxious, increasing the risk of depression, along with the risk of sexual harassment or abuse.

The majority of early puberty risks can be prevented or detected promptly if parents are proactive. Control children's weight from a young age to avoid accumulating excess fat tissue that stimulates sex hormones. Limit processed foods containing artificial growth hormones. Do not use plastic containers for hot food, and avoid soft plastic toys with a pungent smell. Choose cosmetics and shampoos for children that do not contain parabens. Turn off electronic devices before bedtime to avoid blue light inhibiting melatonin, a hormone that regulates the biological cycle.

Doctor Son advises parents to observe their child's secondary sexual characteristics every three to six months, not just their height and weight. Children should be examined immediately if breast development is detected (girls under eight years old) or if testicular enlargement is abnormal (boys under nine years old), without waiting for menstruation or nocturnal emissions. Do not arbitrarily change a child's diet without a doctor's recommendation.

Thu Huong