Several holistic
girls referred to him for signs of home. But the news offered little
early puberty require medica- consolation.
approaches can work
tion. “They never could tell
to slow or reverse early
“Sometimes pediatricians me why it was happening,”
worry enough that it makes the she says. “They just told me to
sexual development in
parents panic,” Kaplowitz com- keep an eye on her.”
ments. “The important thing for Acting on Sellman’s
children. These include
parents to understand is that advice, Dillard switched
most girls who have early breast the family to an organic,
naturopathy, traditional
or pubic hair development do hormone-free diet, and
Chinese medicine,
not have a condition that is helped her daughter lose some
dangerous and requires treat- excess weight. She also gave her
homoeopathy and
ment.” liver-cleansing supplements to rid
So what should a shocked her body of any latent hormones or
chiropractic, as well
and worried parent do? Both chemicals. “As a parent,” she remarks,
naturopathic and conven- “I wasn’t going to just sit idly by and
as changes in diet and
tional physicians say that once say, ‘We’ll see what happens.’”
environment.
full-blown puberty has begun, Denise de Reyna, Emily’s mom,
regardless of the age, it’s hard to now volunteers with the nonprofit
put the brakes on it without medica- Major Aspects of Growth in Children
children’s health advocates. Since pub- tion. Foundation (MAGICFoundation.
lication of the first of her many studies On the other hand, for less severe org), a parent support group that
on the subject, Herman-Giddens says or less advanced cases, Sellman helps other parents handle their
that she has been flooded with letters counsels that several holistic children’s early development. At
and emails, both from parents who have approaches can work to slow or age 11, Emily is now healthy and
watched their children suffer ridicule at reverse early sexual development in thriving. Owing to the medication her
school and from young women looking children. These include naturopathy, tra- mom was so reluctant to put her on five
back on tormented childhoods. ditional Chinese medicine, homoeopathy years ago, she has yet to begin menstru-
Parents say it can be baffling for a and chiropractic, as well as changes in ating.
preschooler to make sense of a chang- diet and environment. “I think she is one of the success
ing body and hormone-fueled mood After Stephanie Dillard’s fright- stories,” Denise de Reyna says. “In fact, my
swings, or for a second-grader to have to ened kindergartner called her into the daughter thinks she is the greatest thing
remember to put on deodorant or bring bathroom to show her the hair that had since sliced bread.”
a pad to school. begun growing on her pubic area, Mom
“It can be psychologically traumatic,” swept her off to a pediatric endocrinolo- Lisa Ann Marshall is an award-
Herman-Giddens notes. She points to gist, who told her that her daughter did winning journalist who writes regularly for
research that connects early puberty not require medication and sent her newspapers and magazines.
with depression, teenage pregnancy
and drug and alcohol abuse. “They are
just alone and terrified,” she continues.
“Imagine being an 8- or 9-year-old, going
about your daily life, having older boys or
men hit on you and having no clue how
to deal with it.”
When it comes to recommending
treatment, Dr. Kaplowitz makes a careful
distinction: There is true precocious pu-
berty, a full-blown pituitary cascade that
also sets rapid growth and bone matura-
tion into motion too soon (leading to
stunted growth later). Then, there is the
more benign appearance of an isolated
sign, such as breast growth.
He’s seen some girl patients whose
breasts began to grow at age 6, and then
stopped, as well as many who had pubic
hair at age 6, but didn’t develop breasts
until years later. Less than 10 percent of
August 2008 39
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