Kids hitting puberty earlier; how do we handle this?

A new study covered by CNN says boys have joined girls in reaching puberty earlier.

In a discussion on KIRO Radio’s Ross and Burbank Show, hosts Dave and Luke both remember kids in their class that hit puberty early, and they say the outcome wasn’t always beneficial.

“There was always that girl in middle school who was the first girl to get breasts and everybody noticed,” says Luke Burbank. “I have to say, most of the time it seems like it wasn’t a great thing for that girl.”

“I still remember who it was, Sue Howe,” says co-host Dave Ross. “The fact that I still remember it tells you just what an impression it makes on you when you’re young.”

KIRO Radio News Anchor Kim Shepard, who recently reported on early bloomers, says kids that grow into adult bodies early can be viewed differently.

“People are just going to expect you to behave older than you are,” says Shepard. “So if you do things that are maybe a little immature I would think that people might react to you a little more harshly than if they knew you’re actually younger than you appear to be.”

The studies reported by CNN show girls getting their period now at age 12, instead of 14, and boys showing signs of entering puberty around age 9 or 10.

Luke says he was a late bloomer and looking back now, he thinks that was preferable.

“I actually personally think it’s better for everybody to develop a bit late, to have their childhood, to sort of be children.”

Shepard says when investigating early puberty for her report, she learned there are means by which people can slow down the process.

“There are drugs actually now that can push puberty later for girls. A scientist that I talked to over at Seattle Children’s says that in some cases, when girls develop really early like 6 and 7 […], they sometimes will put them on a drug regimen that will push off their puberty.”

The doctor did warn there can be side effects with these methods.

Luke says if he had a young daughter heading into puberty early he might still consider it.

“I would want to try to arrest that.”

But Dave would not be willing to subject a young child to drugs just to hold off puberty.

“Don’t do that,” says Dave. “You don’t know what the repercussions are going to be.”

While it might be nice if everyone had a choice of when to go through puberty, Kim and Dave agree the potential negative side effects aren’t worth the benefits, at least to them.

Kim shared that she actually has a 7-year-old daughter that is showing early signs of puberty. At this point, she says she won’t put her on any drugs or anything, but she and her husband are keeping an eye on it.

“I might consider having certain discussions with her earlier than I would otherwise,” says Shepard.

Scientists still are unsure of why kids are hitting puberty early, but doctors tell CNN parents should be aware puberty could come earlier and kids should be prepared for the changes to their bodies.