It's way too early????

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2011
It's way too early????
Thu, 12-13-2012 - 10:15am

I was drying my daughter the other day after bath time, and I notice she had a hair in her genital area, so I pulled on it thinking it was just loose.  I was so wrong, it was attached and then I noticed that there were a few more.  She's only 4, she'll be 5 in February.  I know kids are growing up earlier, but this is way too early?  Any advice would be great.  I do have an appointment with her on the 27th, but just looking for advice till then.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-08-2006
Thu, 12-27-2012 - 7:14pm

Could be precocious puberty. Something for you to research. But the doc will surly have answers. Good luck.

psalm.png picture by gautreaumom

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Mon, 12-24-2012 - 10:50am

yes 4 is very early and while yes some kids go through it early. I was 10 and my neice was 10 and we were told its early but not anything to raise alarms. My sister on the other hand had just turned 8 when she got hers and that was many years ago so when most kids were over 13 and mom took her to specialist who couldn't really tell her why but again many moons ago. When I started at 10 pedi was less worried and at this point with niece they are even less. I've heard a lot of talk of blaming obesity and food additives for this new trend in early puberty but my sister and I were kids of the 70s and 80s. We played outside until dinner we didn't sit in and watch tv or play video games we were active but with puberty comes curves so we didn't look like the other girls but at least in my case I wasn't overweight. My sister OB had an interesting take on the early puberty trend and its more to do with the diversity we have today according to some studies that get less attention. If you think back to history even colonial American history people were married with kids by 16, so they probably were fewer girls still waiting for the their period at 16. While times changed in the US in other countries girls were still marrying very young not that long ago and so more people from those areas immigrate to the US those genes get passed on which could also be explaining why more girls are starting before 13.

Now in this case 4 is very very young and I would say there maybe some hormonal imbalance or something that I am sure they can run some test but still the answer to why is probably up in air but if they do feel purberty could be starting they maybe able to give some hormones to counter act.