How to treat precocious puberty in boys?

Precocious puberty is a growing problem. This has not only health effects, but also psychological effects and can cause some acts of sexual abuse. Therefore, treatment of precocious puberty in boys needs close attention.

Puberty is a period when children undergo dramatic physical and mental changes and begin to develop adult-like sexual characteristics. Many parents may wonder at what age boys reach puberty? According to research, puberty in boys begins at the age of 9-14 years, with manifestations such as enlarged testicles, enlarged penis, pubic hair growth, armpit hair, acne, hoarseness, rapid growth of height.
Puberty takes place thanks to the regulation of the activity of gonadal hormones by the endocrine system including the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. An abnormality on this axis can cause precocious puberty.
Precocious puberty is a manifestation of signs of puberty that appear earlier than normal. Manifestations such as a large penis, pubic and armpit hair growth, voice changes, rapid body growth... Precocious puberty in boys is a sign of puberty appearing before the age of 9.
Causes of early puberty in children can be divided into two types:
Central precocious puberty: There may be no cause. Less commonly, brain tumors, trauma, brain sequelae encephalitis, meningitis or congenital brain abnormalities. In girls, the cause is mostly unknown, in boys it may be more common because there is a cause. Peripheral precocious puberty can be caused by testicular tumors, adrenal gland problems, and exposure to external testosterone such as creams or ointments. In addition, in boys, there are a number of other causes including: beta-HCG-secreting germ cell tumor, early puberty in boys due to family factors.
Through the evaluation, it was found that in girls, up to 80% of cases of unknown cause may be related to obesity. For boys, up to 70% of cases of precocious puberty are due to tumors or nerve damage.

Precocious puberty affects children physically and mentally. Accordingly, the risk of diseases in children with early puberty is also higher, especially chronic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and premature aging in adulthood. Some of the consequences of early puberty in boys are:
Being short: When children with precocious puberty are usually tall for their age, they become short in adulthood. Because, early puberty, puberty also ends early and then growth will also stop. As a result, the child has a lower height compared to the common ground. Some mental obstacles: Feeling of inferiority when different from other children, not properly aware of sex, higher risk of sexual abuse and early sex... Abnormal behavior en: Several studies have found an association between early puberty and behavioral problems, especially in children with developmental delays. Vulnerable to stress: Puberty is a period of rapid development, children will have significant changes. This can make children easily stressed, difficult to control on their own. In addition, children with early puberty may also face a number of other risks, for example, they often have a higher risk of aging problems, cardiovascular disease ...

Children with precocious puberty make parents and children feel worried. Therefore, when a child shows signs of precocious puberty, parents need to take the following measures:
Visit a specialist: When parents bring their child to see a pediatrician, they will ask and give developed a number of tests to accurately diagnose precocious puberty in boys, and find the cause of this condition. Tests may be ordered, such as an X-ray of the child's wrist bones, to find out if the bones are growing faster than the normal rate for the child's age. Hormonal tests to evaluate the level of LH secretion by the pituitary gland. Brain magnetic resonance imaging may be needed to find the cause of precocious puberty...depending on the case, the doctor will give the appropriate tests. Once an accurate diagnosis is made, the doctor will recommend measures to treat precocious puberty in boys. In order for the child to receive treatment, parents should give the child a simple and true explanation of what is happening and may happen in the future with the child. Try to explain that this change is normal for older children, but their bodies start developing too soon. Talking and being more attentive to your child's feelings helps her recognize and communicate what's going on during treatment.

If the child has precocious puberty, parents need to take the child to a pediatric endocrinologist for treatment. Because precocious puberty can affect the physical, mental health and risk of precocious puberty due to physical causes, children need early treatment.
Purpose of treatment of precocious puberty in boys:
Prevent premature sexual development. Prevents rapid growth and premature bone maturation, which can lead to short adult stature. Treat the cause if present: Depending on the cause, additional treatment may be needed to treat the underlying cause of the condition. Specific treatment:
Treat the cause: For boys, try to find the cause of the disease and treat it. If the cause is a tumor, it is necessary to conduct a specific examination and give the appropriate surgical direction for the child. Symptomatic treatment: If the cause of precocious puberty is unknown, in this case the doctor will prescribe medication to prevent premature sexual development. The way to treat it is with an LHRH agonist or a GnRH agonist (GnRHa). The drug creates a biological effect on the pituitary gland, leading to the interruption of signals from the brain to the testes, stopping the production of sex hormones, thereby slowing or stopping premature puberty. The drug is used by injection, the child will be injected once every 28 days or injected in the form of an implant under the skin of the child's arm every 3 months, depending on the specific case that has appropriate indications. At this time, the child may notice some abnormalities after the injection. After that, the child will be monitored throughout the treatment process regularly and accurately to avoid affecting the child's treatment outcome. This hormone therapy can be stopped when the child is 10-11 years old, or earlier depending on the child. When treatment is stopped, the body's normal production of sex hormones will return and normal puberty will begin again, boys will still have normal sperm production.
Note: This hormone therapy treatment needs to be closely monitored by a specialist, as it can also pose some risks if you abuse or use it incorrectly. Some possible risks such as hormonal disorders, stopping the puberty process...
Here are some things you need to know about the treatment process for precocious puberty in boys. The treatment should be done early, to avoid affecting the development of the child. Therefore, if parents detect abnormalities in their children, they should soon take their children to specialized medical centers for examination and treatment.
Precocious puberty in children causes many undesirable consequences such as limiting height growth, causing psychological disturbances for children,... Therefore, if you suspect that your child has signs of early puberty, steps should be taken. Parents should have their children examined, diagnosed and intervened early to bring the child's growth rate back to normal.
The early puberty screening package being implemented at Vinmec International General Hospital is the right choice of parents to have accurate conclusions about the health status and development of their children. Your baby will be examined with a leading specialist in Pediatric Endocrinology, will have sex hormone blood tests, bone age assessment tests, brain MRI scans or some more specialized tests to determine the right diagnosis. causes of precocious puberty and timely intervention.