Delayed Puberty

Children usually reach puberty at a certain age, but in the case of delayed puberty, there is a delay in their sexual development that might have other effects on them as well.

Delayed puberty

Delayed puberty means that the sexual growth of a child doesn’t occur at the expected time. Moreover, when a child starts puberty at the usual time but it stops earlier than usual, it’s also called delayed puberty.

• Usual puberty in females: the breasts start developing at the age of 13, and the first period starts at the age of 15 or within 3 years of breast development.
• Usual puberty in males: testicles begin to enlarge at the age of 14, and puberty is completed after 5 years of the starting of the testicle enlargement.

Causes of delayed puberty

The main reason for delayed puberty is genes. This means that this condition runs in families, and the kids inherit the responsible genes from their parents.

Other possible causes of late puberty include:

• Addison’s disease.
• Hypothyroidism.
• Genetic conditions, like Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome.
• Malnutrition.
• Chronic kidney disease.
• Inflammatory bowel disease.
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Growth hormone deficiency.
• Type 1 diabetes.
• Tumors that affect the child’s spinal cord or brain.
• Traumas that affect the child’s sex glands or brain.
• Strenuous exercise that excessively reduces the body fat and disrupts the hormonal balance.
• Certain medications or therapies, such as corticosteroids, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Symptoms of delayed puberty

The principal symptoms of delayed puberty are lack of breast development in females and lack of testicular growth in males. Other symptoms include:

• The child is shorter than normal for their age.
• The child’s bones aren’t as mature as they should be for their age.
• The child doesn’t develop pubic hair.

Diagnosis of delayed puberty

• Physical exam.
• Medical and family history.
• Imaging tests.
• Blood tests.

Treatment of delayed puberty

• Treating delayed puberty depends on the cause.
• If the child doesn’t have any problem or condition, there isn’t actually anything to do but wait.
• If there is a certain condition or problem that causes delayed puberty, then it’s treated.