For most children, early puberty starts for no known reason. It can run in families. Sometimes there is a problem in the brain, such as an injury, a tumor or an infection. Early puberty can also be caused by a problem in the sex glands (testes or ovaries), the thyroid gland or the adrenal glands.
Is 11 early for puberty?
The average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12. But it’s perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys.
What is the earliest you can hit puberty?
According to the National Institutes of Health, puberty usually begins in girls between 8 and 13 years of age, and in boys between 9 and 14 years of age. Puberty is considered to be early in boys before age 8 and girls before 9 years old. This is sometimes called “precocious puberty.”
What are the 5 stages of puberty?
Tanner stages summary
| Tanner stages in males |
Age at the start |
Noticeable changes |
| Stage 2 |
Around age 11 |
Pubic hair starts to form |
| Stage 3 |
Around age 13 |
Voice begins to change or “crack”; muscles get larger |
| Stage 4 |
Around age 14 |
Acne may appear; armpit hair forms |
| Stage 5 |
Around age 15 |
Facial hair comes in |
1 more row
What does it mean if you start puberty early? – Related Questions
Does milk cause early puberty?
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that drinking milk causes early puberty. In the United States, girls are entering puberty at younger ages than they were in the first half of the 20th century.
Is it normal for a 7 year old to develop breasts?
The earliest physical change of puberty for girls is usually breast development, which most often begins around 10 or 11 years. But it’s perfectly normal for breast development to start anytime between the ages of 7 and 13.
Is it normal for a 6 year old to have pubic hair?
Hormonal basis
It is normal for production of these hormones to increase (something we call adrenarche) and for pubic hair to appear after age 8 in girls or 9 in boys. The reason why this increase occurs earlier in some children is not known.
What are breast buds in 9 year old?
Breast buds are normal, small disc-shaped rubbery lumps felt under the nipple. Age: they normally occur in 8 to 12 year old girls. They are the first sign of puberty. Sometimes, they are even normal in 7 year olds.
What are signs of puberty?
The signs of puberty include1:
- Growth of pubic hair, other body hair, and facial hair.
- Enlargement of testicles and penis.
- Muscle growth.
- Growth spurt.
- Acne.
- Deepening of the voice.
At what age do boys start liking girls?
Some kids may start expressing interest in having a boyfriend or girlfriend as early as age 10 while others are 12 or 13 before they show any interest. The key is for parents to remember that the tween years are a time of transition.
What foods cause early puberty?
High protein intake elevates IGF-1 levels and promotes growth, which could accelerate the onset of puberty. Poor diet. Children with lower-nutrient diets tend to enter puberty earlier. A diet rich in processed foods and meats, dairy, and fast food is disruptive to normal physical development.
Does puberty hurt?
It Doesn’t Hurt . . .
It lasts for about 2 to 3 years. When that growth spurt is at its peak, some people grow 4 or more inches in a year. This growth during puberty will be the last time your body grows taller. After that, you will be at your adult height.
Why does puberty make you prettier?
Researchers conclude that it is likely that changes in facial preferences are prompted by increases in the hormones DHEA, testosterone, and estrogen that occur before and during puberty. These changes prepare the brain to identify desirable mates as the body prepares to engage in reproduction.
Does puberty make you taller?
During puberty, boys and girls will have a growth spurt and grow to their adult height. So that means girls who start puberty the latest will still be getting taller in their mid-teens. For boys, the latest to reach puberty will still be getting taller into their late teens.
When does puberty end?
It can start as early as age 9. Puberty is a process that takes place for several years. Most girls finish puberty by age 14. Most boys finish puberty by age 15 or 16.
Why does my 4 year old have pubic hair?
During adrenarche, the adrenal glands, which sit on the kidneys, begin to churn out weak “male” hormones. That, in turn, can cause kids to develop some pubic hair, underarm hair and body odor. Those adrenal-related changes can happen in the absence of “true” puberty, Kohn explained.
How do you stop early puberty?
Most cases of early puberty cannot be prevented. Limiting your child’s exposure to reproductive hormones from outside sources may prevent precocious puberty. These sources may include estrogen or testosterone creams, lotions, or other medications.
When does a boy become a man?
A boy becomes a man when is willing to help those who need his help. Be the channel of His mercy to others; the harbinger of hope for the hopeless.” Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it” (Proverbs 3:27).
When does a boy stop growing?
Boys tend to show the first physical changes of puberty between the ages of 10 and 16. They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.
What happens first in male puberty?
In boys, the first puberty change is the enlargement of the scrotum and testes. At this point, the penis does not enlarge. As the testes and scrotum continue to grow, the penis grows. The first growth of pubic hair produces long, soft hair that is only in a small area around the genitals.
How do you explain puberty to a boy?
Tips on Discussing Puberty with Your Kids
- Use actual body part language for genitals.
- Keep things short when talking to younger children.
- Use day-to-day situations to trigger conversations.
- Don’t wait to have “the talk”.
- Puberty is a normal part of growing up.
- Fake it until you make it.
