Bad news, moms: The wonderful gap between the toddler tantrum years and the teenage tantrum years is shrinking. We already knew that girls were reaching puberty earlier. It is with great regret that I report that now boys are reaching puberty earlier, too.
A study by the University of North Carolina found that boys were showing the key indicators of puberty (larger genitals, pubic hair, production of sperm) six months to a year sooner than usual. They examined 4,100 boys aged 6 to 16. Boys seem to be hitting the Big Change sooner, and you know what that probably means: The Hormone Tsunami hits sooner, too.
So if your young-ish tween is acting a little more temperamental lately this might be why. Hoo boy. And there's the other implication -- you may have to give the birds and bees talk sooner than you were planning to. I think parents all over are giving that talk earlier than in generations past just because kids are learning about sex from their friends and from media sooner. But still -- here's one more reason to jump on that little talk sooner.
Like with girls, researchers aren't sure why this is happening: Could be the environment, too much junk food, not enough exercise, or a combination of all of these. But while they work on that complicated question, we have to deal with the reality.
I was kind of thinking I would escape the early puberty thing because I have a son, but nope! Probably not. Of course, every kid is different. Just because this is what boys are doing nation wide on average doesn't mean your son will hit puberty early, too. I'm just saying, brace yourself just in case!
Do you think your son might be hitting puberty early?
Image via bryce _edwards/Flickr
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Comments 7
My son was very late. He was 13/14 before he started. Now at 17 he only shaves every 3 weeks. He has never once changed his razor!!!
Here's my theory as to why there is a sudden spike in early puberty and cancer in this country - the food we eat.
When you hit puberty your cells are multiplying and growing and when you have cancer your cells are rapidly multiplying. We inject our cows and chickens with growth hormones and feed our fruits and veggies fertilizer so that they grow bigger more quickly, which causes their cells to grow quickly. I think there is some sort of connection.
Side note: There aren't any cases of early puberty, autism, or cancer in the Amish community. The Amish eat organic foods and do not vaccinate - they may be onto something.
Not particularly. It came late for my stepson -- he was 15 before he got as tall as me, and I'm only 5' 3" (he ultimately made it to 5' 10"). We kept wondering when the heck puberty was going to kick in for him!
Pinkmani, I dont' think its necessarily what's IN the food (althought that's probably part of it). Dr. Megan Kelsey, an assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology with Children's Hospital Colorado, said several studies have shown an association between childhood obesity and early puberty in girls. Fat tissue has the ability to covert other hormones into estrogen, which experts believe may lead to early breast development. Fat also creates the hormone leptin, which is necessary for the onset of puberty, Kelsey said.
The little research that has been done on the relation between obesity and puberty in boys has shown conflicting results. A few studies found puberty is delayed in obese males -- possibly because of excess estrogen in the body.
Obesity could still be to blame, but a closer examination is needed, Kelsey said. The problem is a lot of other factors that could be involved. So if it were hormonal, given that there are more overweight kids these days, you'd think you'd see a later onset of puberty as opposed to sooner.
We should have been a part of that study. My 11 year old son had the testoterone level of a 19 year old. When he hit puberty he nor the rest of the family knew what the hell was going on. Needless to say we had big troubles. He had to take meds to slow it down. He's now 15 and is doing much better.