• To understand the long-term negative physical and psychosocial consequences of precocious puberty
• To learn about central precocious puberty (CPP), the more prevalent form of precocious puberty
• To familiarise yourself with the factors to consider when deciding whether to treat CPP
Precocious puberty is defined as the onset of puberty before the age of eight years in girls and before the age of nine years in boys. It is associated with negative physical health consequences in the long term and can also have negative psychosocial effects, particularly in adolescence. Central precocious puberty (CPP), which is caused by the early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, is the more prevalent form of precocious puberty.
This article explains CPP and its signs, assessment, diagnosis and treatment. It also discusses the factors to consider when deciding whether or not to treat it, stressing the importance of a shared decision-making process that children and parents should be involved in. Precocious puberty must be diagnosed and managed by specialists, but all children’s nurses need a broad understanding of the condition so that they can refer children as early as possible and reassure and advise families.
Nursing Children and Young People. 36, 4, 36-42. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1492
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to open peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Mason L, Daskas N (2024) Central precocious puberty: assessment, diagnosis and decisions about treatment. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2024.e1492
Published online: 08 January 2024
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