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Why are kids going through puberty earlier?

Up until recently, scientists thought that kids went through puberty at specific times based on their genes. While this can be a factor, it's not the only one. Now, they've realized that a lot of the timing has to do with your environment. Some of the top reasons for going through early puberty are...

HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Most children whose biological mothers had good nutrition during pregnancy, and who grow up eating the same way, go through puberty earlier. This is also true of kids who over-eat, or are overweight. These kids have more Leptin in their bodies (a protein that fat cells produce telling our brains we're full), which stimulates the production of Kisspeptin (a chemical in the brain responsible for the release of puberty hormones). The more Leptin your body has, the more Kisspeptin it will produce. This, in turn, can result in early puberty.

EXPOSURE TO LIGHT

You've probably been told many times to stop staring at your screens because they're not good for you. You probably didn't know they're actually not good for pubertal timing, either! Light, both natural and artificial, slows down production of Melatonin (a hormone that makes you feel sleepy and regulates the sleep cycle). 

Melatonin suppresses the production of Kisspeptin. Therefore, when your body can't produce enough Melatonin, it will produce more Kisspeptin, and that can result in early puberty. This is one reason to not look at screens before bed.

EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS

Chemicals in your environment can also trigger early puberty, and are sometimes referred to as "endocrine disruptors" because they disrupt your body's normal hormonal functioning. You can find them in plastics (food containers, furniture items, household products), pesticides, hair products, and even foods like meat and dairy. Unfortunately, it's very hard to avoid environmental chemicals in today's society. When buying any of these products, make sure you're getting certified BPA free items. 

FAMILY STRESS

When small amounts of the body's stress hormone, Cortisol, are released consistently (like when a child often listens to their parents fight), it stimulates puberty. Also, kids with female anatomy can go through puberty earlier when there is no father figure in the home. This is a very heteronormative hypothesis that says daughters of single-mothers can be exposed to many unrelated adult men, which increases their exposure to Pheromones (chemicals in your body that affect others, to which females are very sensitive). 

LOW BIRTH WEIGHT

Early puberty sometimes occurs in kids who were born at a low birth weight. This is because low birth weight results in the body overproducing Insulin (a hormone that regulates sugar in your blood). Having high insulin levels can lead to excess weight gain, which can then lead to obesity, which we now know is related to early puberty. However, Insulin also stimulates the production of puberty hormones, making puberty happen earlier and progress more quickly. 

Fun Fact: On average, kids who live closer to the Equator go through puberty earlier than kids who live far away from it because there is more, extended sunlight at the Equator.

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You're Not the Only One

  • Writer: Margot Hillier Twomey
    Margot Hillier Twomey
  • Nov 6, 2018
  • 5 min read

Updated: Nov 25, 2018

Many kids are going through the same thing you are! And like you, many of them just want to know what to expect during puberty. If you want to know more about change, bodies, hormones, or periods, this quick health ed lesson is for you!

I recently conducted a study on 100 adults with female anatomy to find out what it was about puberty that made it feel like a scary and isolating time. Only 35% of the people in the study qualified for early puberty, but 55% of them said they still were not prepared. When I asked them who/what they would feel most comfortable turning to for information, most people said a parent or caretaker, but the next big group wanted to turn to a website.

Who/what would you feel most comfortable turning to for information about puberty?

"It's different for everyone. Don't assume that if you're uncomfortable, everyone else is. Be real with doctors and parents about how you feel and what's bothering you."

Of the 100 people in the survey, 50 people said they wanted more information on health education, and 31 people said they wanted to know that what they were going through was normal. 14 people said they wanted more support during puberty, and others said they wanted to know that puberty looks different on everyone.


Here is the information they know now that they wish they'd known at your age:


Health Education:

You will learn a lot in school about puberty, but my data shows that you won't learn nearly enough. 55% of the people in my study said their health education was not good enough. This quick lesson in health ed might fill in some of those gaps.

Do you feel like you had sufficient health education to prepare for puberty?

1. CHANGE. Your eating habits will change! Your body shape will change! Your hygiene routine will change! As your brain and body mature, so will your habits. Feeling and acting differently is totally normal. Don't worry if you suddenly feel hungry all the time or see that your body frame looks different. Your body needs to go through these changes in order to stay healthy during puberty. It's okay to be a little freaked out or insecure about all this stuff - it's a lot to take in all at once! Remember, though, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone goes through it! Always, always ask your questions and voice your concerns.


2. EXPECTATIONS. Puberty is not that much fun. Sometimes people say this is when you become a woman, but that's also not 100% true. Becoming a woman is a social milestone, but puberty is a biological one. Even though puberty is biological, some social norms do come along with it. For example, you might feel pressured to wear a bra or shave your legs. If your breasts feel uncomfortable during physical education, it might be time to find a bra for some support. If your leg hair is noticeable and uncomfortable, you have the option of getting a razor to shave it off. However, you don't have to do any of these things if you don't want to. Your body, your choice.


3. BODY PARTS. The photographs of bodies and body parts you see in magazines and on the internet are not representational of actual female bodies. For example, areolas and nipples come in all different colors and and sizes. So do labia! Most health education courses don't show the diversity of body parts - they sometimes barely even show the basics! Most people, regardless of their sex or gender, grow hair around their nipples. Again, this is totally normal. In real life, there is so much variation between bodies, even within families! Think about all the differently colored eyes you've seen, or hair colors and textures. Think about how many different heights you can be, or shapes of eyebrows or ears there are! If all of those body parts can look so different on different people, why would be expect breasts and vaginas to look the same? That would be crazy!


4. HORMONES. Hormones are the backbone of puberty. They trigger almost every change you will go through at this time. One big thing they affect is your mood. You might notice yourself in the next few months and years becoming irritated more quickly and frustrated more easily. You might also be able to recover from these feelings quickly and easily. That's called a mood swing, and EVERY adolescent experiences them. You might feel totally out of control in those moments - it might be really hard to think straight! And that is perfectly normal. Hormones also cause acne, pubic & body hair, vaginal discharge, menstruation, breast growth, and so much more. Your pediatrician can help you feel good and healthy about all of those things.


5. PERIOD PRODUCTS. There are tons of different kinds of products to manage your period. The two most common are pads and tampons. Both can be messy, and both can leak. Leaks happen to everyone! When you're on your period, keep extra pairs of underwear and pants in your backpack or locker, just in case. Menstrual cups are also an option, but most of them are made for adults - make sure you get the right size and follow the instructions to keep it clean. No matter what you hear, neither tampons nor menstrual cups can take your virginity. Pads come with a sticky adhesive to keep them in place in your underwear. Some have "wings" that you fold around your underwear for extra protection. Tampons come in applicators that you stick all the way into your vagina - after putting in a tampon, make sure you take out and throw away the applicator. Even if your flow is light, make sure to change your tampon at least every 8 hours. Regardless of whatever period products you decide to use, always use unscented products. Scented products can result in irritation and infections - it's not worth it! It is worth it, though, to get a pencil bag to store pads and/or tampons in on the go. You can bring it with you anywhere. Keep 7-8 products in there, and restock when you get low. At the end of your period, make sure you refill it so you're ready when your next period comes.


6. PERIODS. For the first couple years, your period might not come regularly. You can track your period by putting a red dot or a "P" on a calendar you keep in your room. It can also be helpful to track your mood, appetite, and any pain you feel. There are also some phone apps, like Period Tracker, that you can use. Eventually, you might be able to see a pattern and know how to expect your period. For example, you might start to feel irritable and cry often a week before your period comes, or you might get cramps a day or two before it starts. Everyone is different, so it's important that you know your signs. How your mom, sister, or friends feel can be super different from you! You might also be interested to know that period blood isn't always bright red - usually, it's more of a brown color. Over the counter pain medication like Advil or Tylenol can help with cramps. Heating pads and light stretching can help, too. If your cramps are so painful that you can't go to school every time you get your period, go see your doctor to make sure you're getting the right period care. Endometriosis and other reproductive disorders can be minimally invasive to your life if you get the right care early. (Endometriosis is a disorder where the tissue that's supposed to line the uterus is also present on your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or intestines).

 
 
 

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