Obesity and Early Puberty: What's the Risk?
Obesity and Early Puberty: What's the Risk?
Some parents feel guilty when their kids develop early puberty. They think they should have been able to stop it. That's not the case. Experts still don't know why some children start puberty early. There are so many factors that seem related -- not just weight, but genetics, gender, race, and maybe even environmental exposure to chemicals.
For now, work closely with your pediatrician and a pediatric endocrinologist. While it might be worrying to you, early puberty is a very treatable condition.
"Most kids with precocious puberty really do fine," says Josefson. "The parents are often the ones getting more worked up about it."
Obesity and Early Puberty: What's the Risk?
What Should Parents Do? continued...
Some parents feel guilty when their kids develop early puberty. They think they should have been able to stop it. That's not the case. Experts still don't know why some children start puberty early. There are so many factors that seem related -- not just weight, but genetics, gender, race, and maybe even environmental exposure to chemicals.
For now, work closely with your pediatrician and a pediatric endocrinologist. While it might be worrying to you, early puberty is a very treatable condition.
"Most kids with precocious puberty really do fine," says Josefson. "The parents are often the ones getting more worked up about it."
