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Julianne is a devoted mother to her beautiful five-year-old daughter, Sarah. But all is not as it seems–something strange is stirring in Sarah’s body.

One bedtime, as Julianne pulled a pyjama top over her daughter’s head Sarah suddenly exclaimed, “Ouch! That hurt when you touched my nipple.” Julianne was surprised by her daughter’s response and took a closer look. Yes, Sarah’s nipples did appear to be different from what she had remembered.

Julianne’s pediatrician scheduled tests that confirmed that Sarah was going through puberty. The small lumps were, in fact, breast buds. How could this be happening to a five-year-old? The doctor explained that Sarah had a condition called “precocious puberty.”

Puberty in the Preteen Years

Precocious puberty, or early sexual development, is happening everywhere. It’s estimated that one out of six girls aged eight may be entering puberty. The age at which puberty begins has been steadily declining. Today, the average age of first menstruation is under 12 years. Reports of early puberty have come from many countries including Canada, the US, Australia, Britain, the European Union, Asia, and the Caribbean.

A groundbreaking US study on 17,000 girls found that 27 percent of African-American and almost seven percent of Caucasian girls had the onset of secondary sexual characteristics, i.e., either breast development or pubic hair development, by the age of seven. By the time the girls turned eight-years-old, 15 percent of Caucasian girls and 50 percent of Afro-American girls were starting puberty. Even more startling was the finding that one percent of Caucasian and three percent of African-American girls showed these characteristics by the age of three.

The development of secondary sexual characteristics in girls signals the onset of important physiological and psychological changes. Girls who reach puberty earlier tend to have increased risks for hormonal imbalances including PMS, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, excessive facial hair, and infertility. Studies show they also have sex earlier, increase their risk of pregnancy, experience more depression and psychological stress, have more behavioural problems, are more likely to drink and smoke, have a lower IQ, and are at increased risk of suicide.

But perhaps the most disturbing consequence is the well-established risk for pre- and postmenopausal breast and ovarian cancers associated with having an early menstruation. For instance, a girl who menstruates at the age of 10 is at approximately twice the risk as a girl whose menstruation started at the age of 16. The younger a woman is when she starts her periods, the higher her risk of later developing breast cancer. Prolonged exposure to estrogens poses a risk factor for breast cancer; estrogen is known to fuel the growth of estrogen-sensitive tissue like that found in the breast.

Precocious puberty is also occurring in boys. It has now been discovered that boys as young as nine years old are developing genitalia, producing sperm, and having spontaneous erections. In addition, they have hair growth on the face, under their arms, and in the pubic area. In boys, this can mean more aggressive, violent behaviour, learning disabilities, and more drug and alcohol abuse. Early puberty also increases the incidence of testicular cancer, sterility, and shorter stature in men.

Hormone Disruptors at Work

The experts are confused about the cause. Some blame obesity. Presently one-third of Canadian children aged two to 11 are overweight and 18 percent are obese. It is now known that fat cells produce a protein called leptin, which is necessary for the progression of puberty.

Sherrill Sellman, ND, is a best-selling author, and lecturer. This article is excerpted from her book, Mothers: Protect Your Daughters from Breast Cancer (GetWell International, 2004) available at ssellman.com.

Source: alive #263, September 2004