Premature Adrenarche: How to Care for Your Child

Premature adrenarche is a form of early puberty.

In premature adrenarche, a child begins to grow pubic and/or armpit hair at an early age (younger than 8 for girls and younger than 9 for boys). In some cases, the child may grow somewhat faster in height than other children the same age. The child also may have acne and adult body odor.

Premature adrenarche occurs when the adrenal glands (hormone-releasing glands located on top of the kidneys) begin making more of the hormones that normally trigger pubic/underarm hair growth at an earlier age than is typical. However, kids with this condition don't usually enter full puberty until a normal age and they don't need treatment.

In some cases, health care providers order blood hormone tests and/or X-rays to make sure the child doesn't have full early (precocious) puberty or problems with the adrenal glands, testicles, or ovaries that might need treatment.

Health care providers don't know what causes premature adrenarche and it doesn't generally cause physical health problems, but it does happen more often in kids who are overweight. In some children, it may be related to insulin resistance — a condition in which the child's body doesn't respond normally to the insulin produced by the pancreas. This increases a child's risk for developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and early heart disease, and, in girls, polycystic ovary syndrome.

• Deodorants can help with body odor.

• Unwanted hairs can be shaved or clipped.

• Talk to your health care provider about a healthy diet and exercise plan for your child. This may help delay or prevent weight problems or other disorders associated with insulin resistance.

• Your health care provider may want to schedule your child for a follow-up appointment in 6 to 12 months to make sure that no signs of other disorders of puberty or growth are appearing.

• Your child seems to be growing much faster than other kids the same age.

• Your daughter begins to develop breasts or menstruate.

• Your son's voice deepens.

• Your son's testicles or penis become larger.

• Your child develops darker, thick skin in body folds or along finger and toe joints.

• Your child appears to be having emotional difficulties.

Sometimes children with premature adrenarche become upset because they feel different from their peers or get teased. Warning signs may include poor grades, problems at school, loss of interest in daily activities, and depression. Talk to your health care provider if these problems come up.