Precocious (early) Puberty in Girls

What is Precocious Puberty?

On average, girls start puberty between the ages of 8 and 13, but some will start to develop breasts, pubic hair, or body odor before age 8. The technical term for this is precocious puberty. Girls are more likely than boys to develop precocious puberty.

Watching your daughter become a woman can be an emotional roller coaster under normal circumstances. But when puberty starts early, it can really be distressing.

Most of the time there's nothing seriously wrong – your child is probably just on the early side of normal. And although she may suffer some social or physical awkwardness for a time, the rest of her class won't be far behind.

There aren't likely to be any long-term physical effects from starting puberty early except one: Initially your child may be taller than her peers, but an early growth spurt could leave her shorter than average as an adult.

Puberty

                                               
Girls enter puberty about one year before boys. Girls usually begin to show the first changes a tender, nickel-sized lump under one or both nipples (breast buds) and then pubic hair – between the ages of 8 and 13. These changes precede a growth spurt, which is followed eventually by menstruation. Most girls get their first period 18 months to three years after the appearance of breast buds.

Some girls begin to show signs of puberty before age 8, and this condition is known as precocious puberty. If your daughter's breasts are developing or you notice pubic hair at age 7 or younger, let her doctor know. In most cases it doesn't signal a serious problem, but she may need testing to determine the cause and possibly receive treatment.

In boys, puberty usually begins between the ages of 9 and 14. The first sign is usually enlargement of the testicles followed by thinning and darkening of the skin on the scrotum. The scrotal skin also becomes dotted with tiny bumps, which are hair follicles. Pubic hairs begin to grow at the base of the penis, and the penis lengthens then widens. Boys go through a growth spurt as they progress through puberty, with most of the growth happening during late puberty.

Though it's less common, boys can also experience precocious puberty, which is defined in males as the onset of puberty before age 9.

Researchers continue to study the developmental differences between boys and girls and what causes them, but it's important to remember that biology alone doesn't determine the kind of son or daughter you'll have. Exposing your child to a wide range of activities and experiences is the best way to support a well-rounded, active child.

How do I answer my toddler's questions about genitals?

Genitals- "Private Parts"

As children who grow up with Caribeean parents, talking about anything remotley resembling sex or genitals was a "no no" for our parents.

No need to worry. Keep it short and sweet, and your toddler will follow your lead. As parents, we can get anxious when children ask about anything that sounds remotely related to sex. But children's curiosity about genitals is no different than their questions about eyes, ears, feet, noses, and other less private parts. And genitals are pretty interesting, as body parts go.

Their questions are only natural — after all, they have to learn about private parts from someone, and it's best for that someone to be you.

How should you respond?

Be direct, and stay matter-of-fact. Follow the rule of thumb: "Is this how I would tell my child about elbows or knees?" Give kids the anatomically correct name for the body part ("vagina," "penis") and avoid "the baby talk". As caribbean parents we grew up hearing "pet" names for or gentials and some very vulgar to mention. Using funny or silly words will just confuse them and, if anything, make the discussion a bigger deal.

If they ask what the genitals are for, you can say that they're for going to the bathroom. If you feel comfortable mentioning that they're also used for making babies, that's okay, too. Toddlers have no understanding of sex and won't make that connection.

Young children may also ask why Daddy's or their brother's or sister's genitals are different from theirs. Point out that each person is unique: Your eyes are blue while Uncle Michael's are brown, and Grandma's nose is smaller than Grandpa's. In the same vein, boys' private parts look different from girls'.

Keep it simple and straightforward. This paves the way for future honest conversations about our bodies and yes — eventually — sex. If you don't act embarrassed, your child will get the message that it's normal to ask questions and talk about every part of our bodies and how we function.

Manners

Teaching your Children Manners

"Manners maketh man"

Pre-schoolers love to party. To help your child stay on the guest list, use these early invitations as an opportunity to teach him party manners that will help him his whole life long.

Make sure he knows the most basic concepts — that pile of presents is for the birthday kid and not the guests, for instance. You could also role-play some scenarios he might encounter at a party. Pretend you're the host and ask your child to greet you politely, shaking your hand. Practice giving a gift and taking turns at games. If he's a finicky eater, tell him what to say if he's offered a food he won't eat. Praise good efforts and forgive small mistakes. That's the best reinforcement.

Don't forget to model polite behaviour yourself.  Include "please" and "thank you" into your everyday interactions. Thank the bank teller and the bagger at the grocery store. Show the same good table manners you'd use at a fancy restaurant when you're eating in your own kitchen.

7 signs that your child loves you

                                                  

You're his confidante: When your child comes to you with a problem, it shows that he trusts you. He knows that you can help him manage his feelings, and he's open to your guidance about how to make the situation better.

She wants to do things for you: Your child may want to bring you tea or even make your breakfast. This is a particularly rewarding sign of love, especially after the toddler and preschool years when you may have felt like a 24-hour waitress. It's not just about you giving and giving anymore. Now your child wants to give, too."

He's more flexible: As much as we hate to admit it, there are times when we let our children down. The good news is that big kids are more likely to take this in stride, thanks to the reciprocal, loving relationship that you've built over the years. So if you have to put off playing a game until morning because you're tired, for example, he's more likely to accept this calmly. He trusts that you'll follow through, and he has the maturity to respect your needs in addition to his own.

She brags about you: As parents we brag about our kids all the time (at least to sympathetic grandparents and our spouses). Our kids brag about us too. So if you overhear your big kid saying, "My mommy can run faster than anyone," take it for what it is – a sign of love and admiration.

He shows gratitude: When children say thank you to us, they're really expressing respect and love. So the next time you give your child a snack and he exclaims, "These are my favorite pickles! Thanks!" feel free to say, "I love you too, honey." Or just take a moment to bask in the glow.

She tells you when you embarrass her: If your child institutes a new "no hugging or kissing" rule at morning drop-off, it doesn't mean she doesn't love you. In fact, it's just the opposite – by expressing her limits, she's demonstrating the trust she has in you. She knows that even if she puts the brakes on the juicy goodbye, she still has the security of your enduring love.

He's a diplomat: Your school-age child is able and quite willing to negotiate with you. So if he wants some screen time but you want him to do his homework, he's able to work together to find a solution. He trusts that you'll listen to him, which makes him more willing to listen to you.

Early signs of Autism

Signs of Autism in Toddlers 12 to 24 months old


                                                   

Doesn't use gestures. Doesn't shake his head yes or no. Doesn't wave goodbye or point to things he wants.

Doesn't point out objects to show interest in the world around her. By 14 to 16 months, most kids point to get your attention to share something they're interested in, such as a puppy or new toy.

Doesn't use single words by 16 months or two-word phrases by 24 months.

Loses verbal or social skills. Used to babble or speak a few words, or showed interest in people, but now he doesn't.

Withdraws. Seems to tune people out and be in her own world.

Walks on his toes or doesn't walk at all.

Signs of Autism Part 2

Signs of Autism in children 2 years old and up

                                                


Has a language delay. May struggle to express her needs. Some children with autism don't talk at all, while others develop language but have trouble participating in a conversation.


 Has unusual speaking patterns. Might speak haltingly, in a high-pitched voice or a flat tone. Might use single words instead of sentences or repeat a word or phrase over and over. Might repeat a question rather than answer it.

Doesn't seem to understand what people are saying to her. May not respond to her name or may be unable to follow directions. May laugh, cry, or scream inappropriately.

Narrowly focuses on a single object, one thing about an object (like a wheel on a toy car), or one topic at a time.

Engages in limited imitation. Rarely mimics what you do and doesn't engage in pretend play.

Seems content to play alone. Appears to have little interest in other children and usually doesn't share or take turns.

Displays rigid behaviour. May be very attached to routines and have difficulty with transitions. For example: A change in the usual route home from daycare can throw her into despair or result in a tantrum. She's very particular about what she will and won't eat. Or she wants to follow strict rituals at snacks and meals.

Plays with objects or toys in unusual ways. For example: He spends a lot of time lining things up or putting them in a certain order. He enjoys repetitively opening and closing a door. Or he becomes preoccupied with repeatedly pushing a button on a toy or spinning the wheels of a toy car.

Engages in self-injury, such as biting or hitting herself.

Exhibits repetitive actions, such as flapping his arms or hands.

Is overly sensitive to various kinds of stimulation. May resist touch, get agitated by noise, be extremely sensitive to smells, or refuse to eat many foods. He may want to wear only clothes without tags or made of a certain material.

May overreact to some types of pain and underreact to others. For example, she may cover her ears to block loud noises but not notice when she skins her knee.

May be fearful when it's unnecessary or fearless when there's reason to be afraid. For example, he may be afraid of a harmless object, like a balloon, but not frightened of heights.

Has sleep disturbances. Many children with autism have trouble falling asleep and wake up frequently in the night or are very early risers.

Exhibits behaviour problems. May be resistant, uncooperative, or overly active. May be hyperactive, impulsive, or aggressive

Mastering Math

                                               

It's amazing that your child has gone from obliviousness about numbers to growing math proficiency in such a short time. Following is a list of what math most 7-year-olds are able to do. (If your child can't do some of these things, he'll probably learn them in second grade.)

• add and subtract two-digit numbers and possibly three-digit numbers 
• begin to solve simple word problems 
• estimate amounts (such as how many beans in a jar) 
• use a ruler to measure in inches 
• understand how to measure angles 
• count to 100 by tens and fives 
• know which number comes next (after, say, 49 or 128) 
• tell time to the quarter hour

Laying a Spiritual Ground Work

Until about age 7, a child absorbs the basic rituals of spirituality she's exposed to with little understanding of their significance. It's hard for the very young to conceive of a higher power or what religion and faith represent. Around 7, children in religious households enter a new phase of spiritual development, in which they begin to understand the symbolism of various spiritual icons and rituals. They also begin to better imagine the abstract idea of the existence of God.

Observing spiritual rituals is a wonderful way to feed a growing faith. Many families join a religious community at this stage if they haven't already, attending services as a family or enrolling their child in religious education. Others choose to explore spirituality at home by creating rituals and reading books.

Answer questions about the meaning of why things are done a certain way as best you can, or enlist a clergyperson or rabbi to explain what you don't know yourself. Exposure to spirituality helps transmit your values, too.

Rituals also give a growing child security and comfort. They become important touchstones in life that she can count on and later look back upon.

Secrets to raising smart kids: Feed the brain

Breakfast of Champions

We've always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it's especially true when it comes to your child's developing brain. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast perform better in attention and memory tests than those who don't.

Food absorbed by our bodies is converted to glucose that powers the body – and the brain. Your child wakes up with an empty tank that needs to be refueled. "Your child's brain needs glucose to function well. Without it, she may have difficulty understanding new information and won't remember things as well," says Terrill Bravender, chief of adolescent medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and professor of clinical pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Research bears this out. Harvard Medical School psychologist J. Michael Murphy and his colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital re-analyzed the data of a USDA school breakfast pilot project that examined the impact of a universal free breakfast program of 4,000 elementary school students. Murphy’s analysis found that regular breakfast skipping was associated with poorer school attendance and tardiness, less verbal fluency, and more parent- and teacher-related behavior problems.

 

Diane Pratt-Heavner, a spokesperson for the School Nutrition Association, agrees with Murphy. "I know principals who keep snacks in their drawers for children with discipline problems. Many times, those kids never ate breakfast," she says.

But don't pull out the sugary cereals just yet. The type of food a child eats is just as important as whether she eats at all. Highly sweetened breakfast cereals can give kids a short-lived sugar high, resulting in the inevitable crash.

Protein- and fiber-rich breakfasts, on the other hand, give the brain sustained go-power. In a study published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, children who ate oatmeal for breakfast performed 20 percent better on a map-memorization test than their sugary-cereal-munching counterparts.

 

"Eating something with complex carbs and protein gives your child's brain a constant, slow infusion of glucose for better brain function," says Bravender. That said, Bravender stresses that when it comes to breakfast something is better than nothing, so make sure your child gets a morning meal.

Secrets to raising smart kids: Determine learning style

What's your child's learning style?

                                        
Knowing how your child likes to learn and process information is an invaluable tool that you can use to help your child do better in school and develop a love of learning. Education experts have identified three main types of learners – auditory learners, physical learners, and visual learners.

Auditory learners absorb information best by hearing it through verbal instructions. Physical learners like to use their hands to make discoveries. And visual learners operate best by observing – either in print or with pictures.
                                               
Auditory learners absorb information best by hearing it through verbal instructions. Physical learners like to use their hands to make discoveries. And visual learners operate best by observing – either in print or with pictures.

When learning a new math concept, for example, a visual learner will grasp the material more quickly by watching his teacher solve a problem on the blackboard or seeing a picture of the problem. An auditory learner will understand the concept if he can listen to the teacher explain it and answer his questions. A physical learner (also called tactual-kinesthetic) may need to use blocks, an abacus, or other counting materials to practice the new concept.

The three learning styles aren't just theoretical. Several studies have shown that accommodating a child's learning style can significantly increase his performance at school.

Secrets to raising smart kids: Learn a language

The benefits of learning a second language

Kids who learn a second language are more likely to communicate better, don't become frustrated as easily, and seek different ways of solving problems, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

"There's a lot of research that shows kids who learn a foreign language show amazing growth in cognitive skills, creativity, English, math, and science," says Ingrid Pufahl, Ph.D., a linguist and research consultant. "They're also better problem solvers and can think out of the box because they've been exposed to different points of view and different languages."

Pufahl adds that you don't have to be fluent in a second language to see the brain boost. "Even after studying a foreign language for a short time, you can start seeing benefits," she says.

                                   

What can you do?

Whether you hope your child will become fluent or just want to expose her to another language, you have lots of options:

Sign up for a class. Your child's school might offer classes during or after school. If not, look for language programs offered by other schools, cultural centers, or city services.

Learn with family. If you're fluent in another language, use it frequently at home around your child, and encourage relatives to do the same.

Use an app. Plenty of apps that teach children English vocabulary can teach other languages, too. For example, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Friends First Word app allows you to choose English, Spanish, French, or German as a primary or secondary language.

Watch a show. Snuggle up together on the couch to watch a kid-friendly bilingual show like Dora the Explorer (Spanish), Ni Hao, Kai-Lan (Mandarin), and Sesame Street (Spanish). When the show's over, start a conversation to encourage your child to use the new words she learned.

Listen and learn. Play music, read books, listen to audiobooks, and watch videos and shows in another language. Drive a familiar route with your child with voice navigation set in another language, and see if she can understand the directions.

Learn together. If you aren't fluent in the language your child is learning, study it yourself with programs like the Duolingo app or Rosetta Stone. Practice new vocabulary words with your child.

Encouraging Reading

How to Encourage Reading

Some 7-year-olds are eager readers, while others are indifferent. If your child falls into the latter category, don't worry. It's a big wide world of reading out there. You may simply need to look a little harder to find what makes him/her "clicks".

First consider branching out with her reading material. Many kids this age love comic books. And as long as the comics have words, your child is reading. Books of classics like Peanuts or Calvin and Hobbes actually teach kids many vocabulary words (some of them pretty big!). Some kids like to read only magazines. There are also many kids' series with seemingly questionable titles (Captain Underpants, Dear Dumb Diary) that have eager followers.

If your child claims not to like reading, it's possible she's getting too much screen time. Set aside time in the day specifically for reading, together or separately.

Don't overlook the possibility that your child dislikes reading because it's simply too hard for her. Is her reading material too advanced? Or is she having trouble with the process of reading itself? Ask what her teacher thinks. The solution may be as simple as some extra reading help.