Puberty is the first big change in life. Many believe this period of pimples, bras and periods is starting earlier for girls.
Jacque Carpenter is a nurse who teaches a class called "Growing Up Girls" at Olathe Medical Center.
"I have mothers anecdotally telling me their daughters are going through puberty earlier than they did or 'My gosh, I can't believe she already needs a bra'," Carpenter said.
There's some debate, but an adolescent medicine specialist at Children's Mercy Hospital believes that for more girls, puberty is starting earlier.
"Even in my professional career, the point at which we consider puberty has shifted down about six months," Dr. Daryl Lynch said.
Puberty generally starts between 8 and 13 1/2 years old. Breast budding and body hair usually come first, and later, menstruation. Dr. Jill Jacobson, an endocrinologist at Children's Mercy, said menstruation is still happening on average at age 12.
"In the U.S., the timing of periods hasn't really changed in almost 50 years," she said.
But if some or all of the changes are starting earlier, what could be the cause? Some believe it can be linked to chemical exposure, specifically Bisphenol-A. It's the substance known as BPA that's been in baby bottles and is still in some other plastics.
But the doctors believe earlier puberty is largely related to the growing obesity problem in kids.
"The more adepose tissue or fat cells there are in the body, the higher the circulating estrogen levels," Dr. Lynch said.
Those higher levels result in the female changes. Dr. Lynch said earlier puberty puts girls at higher risk of sexual abuse, teasing or bullying, mental health disorders and short stature as adults. Those are more reasons to help kids control their weight since it might help delay puberty. But there are also reasons for mothers and daughters to talk and not just have THE talk.
"I'm an opponent of the talk. To me, parenting and sexuality education is a conversation that begins before birth," Dr. Lynch said.
He said let your kids know they can ask questions, don't preach and don't assume you know which part of development they're most concerned about.
Ten-year-old Alyssa said she's most concerned about pimples.
"Those are gross, I think," she said.
Alyssa has been asking more questions of her mom since taking Carpenter's class.
"Hearing the information and hearing it with her friends made her more comfortable", her mother Britt Hollister said.
Mothers and daughters can also turn to the web. A new website, www.pinklockersociety.org, is run by the Alfred I. Dupont Children's Hospital. The site answers girls' questions, with the most common ones being about periods, bras and boys.
"It seemed a little geared more toward middle school kids and some of the issues, we're not there yet," Hollister said.
The doctors said if your daughter shows signs of development before age 8, be sure to get a doctor's evaluation. Some health problems can lead to early puberty.
More information on puberty can be found from the American Academy of Pediatrics
Jacque Carpenter is a nurse who teaches a class called "Growing Up Girls" at Olathe Medical Center.
"I have mothers anecdotally telling me their daughters are going through puberty earlier than they did or 'My gosh, I can't believe she already needs a bra'," Carpenter said.
There's some debate, but an adolescent medicine specialist at Children's Mercy Hospital believes that for more girls, puberty is starting earlier.
"Even in my professional career, the point at which we consider puberty has shifted down about six months," Dr. Daryl Lynch said.
Puberty generally starts between 8 and 13 1/2 years old. Breast budding and body hair usually come first, and later, menstruation. Dr. Jill Jacobson, an endocrinologist at Children's Mercy, said menstruation is still happening on average at age 12.
"In the U.S., the timing of periods hasn't really changed in almost 50 years," she said.
But if some or all of the changes are starting earlier, what could be the cause? Some believe it can be linked to chemical exposure, specifically Bisphenol-A. It's the substance known as BPA that's been in baby bottles and is still in some other plastics.
But the doctors believe earlier puberty is largely related to the growing obesity problem in kids.
"The more adepose tissue or fat cells there are in the body, the higher the circulating estrogen levels," Dr. Lynch said.
Those higher levels result in the female changes. Dr. Lynch said earlier puberty puts girls at higher risk of sexual abuse, teasing or bullying, mental health disorders and short stature as adults. Those are more reasons to help kids control their weight since it might help delay puberty. But there are also reasons for mothers and daughters to talk and not just have THE talk.
"I'm an opponent of the talk. To me, parenting and sexuality education is a conversation that begins before birth," Dr. Lynch said.
He said let your kids know they can ask questions, don't preach and don't assume you know which part of development they're most concerned about.
Ten-year-old Alyssa said she's most concerned about pimples.
"Those are gross, I think," she said.
Alyssa has been asking more questions of her mom since taking Carpenter's class.
"Hearing the information and hearing it with her friends made her more comfortable", her mother Britt Hollister said.
Mothers and daughters can also turn to the web. A new website, www.pinklockersociety.org, is run by the Alfred I. Dupont Children's Hospital. The site answers girls' questions, with the most common ones being about periods, bras and boys.
"It seemed a little geared more toward middle school kids and some of the issues, we're not there yet," Hollister said.
The doctors said if your daughter shows signs of development before age 8, be sure to get a doctor's evaluation. Some health problems can lead to early puberty.
More information on puberty can be found from the American Academy of Pediatrics
