The onset of puberty and its associated changes may cause emotions ranging from fear and anxiety to elation. The age at which puberty begins varies widely, but the first signs usually appear between age 10 and 15 for both boys and girls. Girls sometimes enter puberty as early as 7 or 8 years. The physical changes seen during puberty include the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics and underarm hair in both genders.
Puberty
The first sign of puberty in girls is usually breast development, followed by pubic hair, then underarm hair, acne and finally, menstruation. The sequence of events in boys begin with an increase in the size of the testicles, then the size of the penis. Pubic hair and underarm hair follow, with the possibility of some breast tissue developing. Deepening of the voice and increased muscle growth precedes the arrival of acne and facial hair.
The Order of Pubertal Events
Although the order in which pubertal events occur typically follow the above mentioned pattern, some children do have a different order. There are girls who have breast development without exhibiting any other signs of puberty, while some children develop underarm and pubic hair significantly earlier than any other signs of sexual development.
Precocious Puberty
While many children will enter puberty within the expected age range, sometimes the first signs of puberty are seen at a much younger age. More common in girls than boys, precocious puberty is currently defined as the onset of puberty before age 8 in girls and 9 in boys. MayoClinic.com considers the following as signs of possible precocious puberty if they appear before the stated age: in girls, breast growth or first period; in boys, enlarged testicles or penis, deepening voice or facial hair; in both boys and girls, pubic or underarm hair, rapid growth, acne or adult body odor. Children who go through puberty too early could end up being shorter than average as adults, because their growth would stop earlier than normal.
Research and Puberty
There is evidence that signs of puberty appear earlier in African American girls than in white girls, and that, in general, the age for normal onset of puberty might be earlier than the current accepted age. If this is so, then many of the cases identified as being precocious puberty would, in fact, be normal.
Considerations
Underarm hair is a natural part of growing up, but if it appears early and turns out to be an indicator of early puberty, then there is some concern, especially in girls, since early puberty has been shown to contribute to the incidence of breast cancer. Be aware of your child's development, and seek medical advice if there are signs of puberty earlier than you expect.
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