What is Central
Precocious Puberty (CPP)?
CPP is puberty that
starts too early.
starts too early.
Puberty is the process of becoming sexually mature. It's the time when a child starts to become a young adult. Everyone goes through it. But central precocious puberty, or CPP, is not regular puberty. A simple way to describe it is that it's the right process happening at the wrong time. CPP is when a child's body begins changing into an adult body too soon.
How early is too early?
CPP is a type of early puberty. When puberty begins before age 8 for girls, and before age 9 for boys, it is considered CPP. CPP occurs in 1 out of every 5,000 to 10,000 children. And it's more common in girls.
The changes that puberty brings are challenging, even when they come at a normal time. They may be overwhelming when they happen to a child too early. That's why it's important to know the difference between signs of regular puberty and the onset of CPP, which is driven by early hormone secretion. For this, there are treatments available. In certain rare cases, these signs may also indicate the presence of an underlying condition. So, it's important to see your child's pediatrician if he or she shows signs of CPP.
