Puberty Disorder

If your child experiences delayed or early puberty, it can affect their growth and development. The expert team of board-certified pediatricians at Newport Children’s Medical Group, with locations in Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Laguna Beach, California, offer solutions for puberty disorders. They provide treatments that normalize your child’s development during puberty. At the first sign of early or delayed puberty, schedule an appointment with Newport Children’s Medical Group by phone today.

Puberty Disorder Q & A

What are puberty disorders?

Puberty disorders occur when your child goes through puberty at the wrong time, or not at all. Examples include:

Precocious puberty

With precocious puberty, your child experiences early puberty or puberty that occurs before age eight in girls and age nine in boys.

Delayed puberty

Delayed puberty occurs later than usual – much later than your child’s peers begin puberty. For example, boys who haven’t hit puberty by age 14, girls who don’t develop breasts by age 13, and girls who don’t begin menstruating by age 16 may have delayed puberty.

What are signs of normal puberty?

Signs and symptoms of normal puberty in boys and girls include:

Girls

  • Breast development
  • Menstruation
  • Growth spurts
  • Acne
  • Pubic and underarm hair

Boys

  • Muscle growth
  • Facial, pubic, underarm, and body hair
  • Penis and testicle enlargement
  • Growth spurts
  • A deepening voice
  • Acne

If your child experiences puberty too early or isn’t going through puberty when their peers do, see the Newport Children’s Medical Group team for an evaluation.

How are puberty disorders diagnosed?

To diagnose puberty disorders, your child’s pediatrician reviews their medical history, asks about their development, measures their growth, and completes a physical examination.

They may ask about exercise and dietary habits and whether your child has a family history of puberty disorders.

Newport Children’s Medical Group specialists might recommend blood tests to evaluate hormone levels, genetic testing, ultrasound, MRIs, X-rays, or other diagnostic imaging procedures.

How are puberty disorders treated?

Your child’s personalized puberty disorder treatment plan depends on the type and severity of their condition. Your pediatrician might suggest:

Watchful waiting

If your child has a family history of delayed puberty, watchful waiting might be the best approach.

Injections

Receiving regular injections can delay further development if your child has precocious puberty, and an underlying cause isn’t identified.

Implants

Implants can also treat precocious puberty. Your provider inserts a tiny implant beneath the skin in your child’s arm. The implant can last up to a year.

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy helps kick start puberty in children with delayed puberty. The treatment often consists of injections, oral pills, or skin patches.

Treating the underlying cause

If a medical condition is responsible for a puberty disorder in your child, treating the underlying problem is often an effective treatment. Examples include treating thyroid problems or removing a tumor.

If puberty isn’t occurring for your child when it’s supposed to, you can trust the expert team of pediatricians at Newport Children’s Medical Group with their care. Schedule an appointment over the phone to find out which puberty disorder treatment is best for them.