What signs are you seeing? My daughter has what I felt like were little breast buds (my mother noticed too before I said anything) and turns 6 today. She is a big girl (not fat, more an athletic build and tall), and I did mention it one day when we were in for a sick visit. The pediatrician felt and said that it didn't feel like breast tissue and she was not concerned at this point - but it is something to keep an eye on. There are medications they would prescribe to delay puberty onset if that is truly the case, so she did say it is something to look for and if there was any concern they would refer us to an endocrinologist. From a brief google search, there is some research on this subject. So, yes, my daughter does have what I felt like were signs - but normal as far as my pediatrician was concerned. I am going to revisit at our well visit soon.

I noticed my daughter began to develop breast (real buds) after she disclosed. Like literally, they didn't start until after she told. She was 8 1/2. She also started to put on a little weight due to comfort eating but her breast have continued to mature even though her weight has fluctuated. She is active but not sporty, medium build. Now, this in itself isn't a shock to me due to the fact that I myself began devetoing breast at age 6. No, I was not sexually abused. I was also very athletic, but thin, in gymnastics from age 2-14 so my breast were only little buds until about 12 when I began to slowly develop bigger. Vigorous sports really does delay puberty! I was working out 6 days a week, 3 hours a day with meets on Sundays. I however didn't start my period until 13 1/2. My sister started also at 13 1/2, developing breast at 12 and was a more advanced gymnast than I.

Now, heredity plays a huge part in puberty. My mother-in-law got her period at 10 and my mom's mom got her period at 9 but my mom didn't start until 14. I've also read that estrogen from food has boosted this generation's struggles early development. Stay away from a ton of dairy products and soy products as they carry extra estrogen, if you're truly concerned.

Each child is naturally different but I do think that sexual awaking can jump start the process...but that's my personal opinion! My daughter started being abused at age 4-5 but I never saw any body changes until 8 1/2. I hope this helps. :)

Holy shit...who knew? The repercussions of this crime....

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2013/11/sex-abuse-triggers-early-puberty-and-its-problems

Nov. 27, 2013

Sex abuse triggers early puberty and its problems

ByKarene Booker

Puberty can be a tough time for all youth, but for girls who have been sexually abused, it spells double trouble. Sexually abused girls reach puberty before other girls, a new study finds, and early puberty increases their risk of having emotional problems.

“Early maturing girls are already more vulnerable to mood problems than other kids, but this risk seems to be magnified for girls with histories of sexual abuse,” said Jane Mendle, assistant professor of human development in Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, whose study was published online (Aug. 28) in the Journal of Research on Adolescence ahead of print.

“Girls who reach puberty ahead of peers are substantially more likely to be targets of peer sexual harassment and receive a high number of unsolicited comments on their bodies,” said first author Mendle.

For those with histories of sexual abuse (about one in five girls in the United States), these challenges and pressures may become a tipping point for emotional difficulties such as depression and anxiety, she said.

Mendle and colleagues studied 100 girls in foster care, all of whom had experienced maltreatment early in childhood. They looked at the type of maltreatment (physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect), emotional symptoms and level of physical maturity reported at two points, two years apart.

The team found no direct effects of abuse on the girls’ emotional symptoms. Rather, they found that the number of sexual abuse instances, but not physical abuse or neglect instances, was linked to earlier pubertal timing. And it was these earlier developing girls that had more symptoms of depression, anxiety and social withdrawal. The study showed that girls’ emotional problems were directly related to their experiences at puberty – not to what happened to them early in life, the authors concluded.

“In addition to individual interventions [to help early maturing girls], another target might be our collective social response to early puberty,” said Mendle.

“Peers, caregivers, teachers and other adults have a tendency to react to children based on their observable – rather than chronological – age. Those reactions can be very powerful for how girls respond and interpret the challenges of growing up.”

The study “Linking Childhood Maltreatment With Girls’ Internalizing Symptoms: Early Puberty as a Tipping Point,” was co-authored by Leslie D. Leve and Mark Van Ryzin of the University of Oregon and Misaki N Natsuaki of the University of California, Riverside. It was supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Karene Booker is an extension support specialist in the Department of Human Development.

I read the same thing above that Naïve posted. It really freaked me out. She is turning 7 Friday and is very tall for her age. Her legs have quite a bit of blonde hair and she is starting to get some armpit hair too. I also had her start wearing deodorant (not antiperspirant) because I noticed that she would sometimes have odor. The other day after her bath, she was looking down at herself and I asked her what she was doing, she said she was looking to see if she had new hairs because she had seen some very light hairs. I also think she has some breast tissue development, but it's pretty minor. So when I starting thinking about all the things put together, I freaked out a little. So then started googling it and was really disturbed after that. It kinda brought back something her therapist had said about child sexual abuse is like having a flip switched on their sexuality that never goes off again. Thankfully her well visit is also coming up but I'm still checking with her doctor before hand.

I would think it would need to be addressed - like I said, my pediatrician said that if she did start showing early signs they could give medication to suppress (our daughter is very tall for her age too - so it wouldn't surprise me if she started showing more signs too).

I recently read the book Becoming Nicole, it is the story of a set of identical twin boys, and one of the boys clearly identified as female from a very early age. Current medical professionals who treat gender dysphoria will suppress puberty in males who are planning on transitioning permanently (only those who have been followed closely for years and are confirmed with gender dysphoria) until they undergo their sex change and remove the testicles so their testosterone is suppressed. Halting the puberty from starting will prevent those changes such as the adams apple growth, and the more "manly" features from developing. It was a very interesting book, and insight into the subject. And looking at the pair now, even though at one time they were identical twins, they look alike but there are differences in the structure of their faces/jaws (they are close to 19 or 20 now and Nicole has had her surgery).

I had never thought of suppressing puberty - but I can now see why it would be necessary and beneficial in the case of our daughters too. Let us know what the pediatrician says, I am going to inquire again at our well visit with our new pediatrician (when I find one).

Her doctor's office said that signs of puberty can start years before it actually happens. They said it's hereditary to an extent so be mindful of my own history. She has a well exam in a month so I will speak to her doctor more in detail then and let you know what they say.

Things that make you go "hmmm".

At 5 my oldest daughter had BO. I had to teach her to use deodorant, At 7 she had pubic hair. Had the bone age test done. She aged at 9. We kept close watch on her but she did not start her period until 1 week before her 11th birthday.

That was several years ago. Before disclosure.

My son started wearing deodorant at 7 years old. Masturbating at 8. He was caught doing it in school. He disclosed weeks after, with my 2 girls following.

My 10 year old daughter has boobies and body hair. I expect her period to start within a year.

I always thought my babies just grew quickly. Now I see your post and I wonder. Hmmmm....

lusks1- Yes, very suspicious. My daughter had no signs until after disclosure as well. Within the last year, all of this has happened. The scariest thing I read is that kids who enter puberty early have more behavior and emotional issues as well as are more likely to get bullied because of the way they look. I developed breasts early and it scarred me for life. I never had any body issues until then but as soon as that happened, kids at school would constantly talk about my body, ask if I stuffed or had water balloons in my bra. For a 5th grader, it was devastating. Kids can be so cruel and I'm worried about how she may be treated by peers if she develops early.