What Is Premature Thelarche?
Premature thelarche is a term used to describe when a girl develops a small amount of breast tissue before the age of eight. The girl's breasts do not grow larger, and she does not go through a growth spurt. A girl who has begun puberty will notice a rise in the size of her breasts within four to six months, while a girl who has early thelarche may experience little or no change in the size of her breasts for a year or longer (sometimes, they will get smaller). Premature thelarche usually affects both breasts; however, it can also affect only one. Premature thelarche is distinct from real premature puberty (true precocious puberty), which occurs when the typical indications of puberty appear at an abnormally young age.
What Are the Causes of Premature Thelarche?
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Premature thelarche often has no known cause, though it can occur due to exposure to certain medicines or estrogen, such as when a child swallows a mother's contraceptive pill. Some specialists feel that girls who have early thelarche are just more susceptible to normal estrogen levels for a short period of time.
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Premature thelarche could be a symptom of hormonal abnormalities in the adrenal glands or ovaries or caused by estrogen sensitivity.
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On ultrasound, some girls with this condition show small cysts in their ovaries; one possibility is that one of these cysts generates a small quantity of estrogen before disappearing, but the estrogen's influence on breast tissue may last a long time.
What Are the Symptoms of Premature Thelarche?
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One or both of the child's breasts begin to get larger, or they may fluctuate in size.
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Other symptoms of puberty, such as pubic hair growth or rapid body growth, are absent.
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Although it can take several years for the breasts to return to normal size, they ultimately cease expanding and shrink.
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Almost normal bone age.
What Methods Are Used to Diagnose Premature Thelarche?
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True precocious puberty is uncommon at such a young age, so any girl with nonprogressive breast development and a normal growth rate on the growth chart is likely to have premature thelarche. As a result, many doctors will order no tests and schedule a follow-up appointment with the girl in four to six months.
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Physical Examination- The doctor examines the child to see if there are any additional indicators of puberty. Clinical tests are usually not required, but they may be ordered if the doctor feels any abnormalities are causing the growth.
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Blood Tests- Some doctors conduct blood tests, the most useful of which are luteinizing hormone, a pituitary hormone that should be low, and estradiol, a significant estrogen hormone that should be normal to slightly raised.
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Bone Age X-ray- Some doctors will request an x-ray to determine the patient's bone age, but this is uncommon unless the child has true precocious puberty.
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Suspected Precocious Puberty- If a doctor feels that premature thelarche is a sign of precocious puberty, they should consult a specialist. Hormone profiling, bone growth evaluation, and womb and ovaries ultrasonography may be performed.
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Premature thelarche may still be the proper diagnosis for females who begin developing breasts between the ages of six and eight, but real precocious puberty is more likely. Additional tests, treatment, and careful monitoring are required to see if the quantity of breast tissue changes over time.
What Is the Treatment of Premature Thelarche?
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There are no medications required because this condition does not worsen, and there are no complications.
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Observation and patience are recommended for most girls who grow breasts before eight.
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It is rare for a girl with premature thelarche to experience true precocious puberty later in life, and these girls normally have their first period at a regular age.
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Premature thelarche does not appear to cause any long-term health issues in girls.
What Are the Complications of Premature Thelarche?
Premature thelarche normally does not cause any problems for the girl. The condition usually goes away on its own, and girls go through puberty normally. However, when breast enlargement occurs after the age of two or three years, and additional puberty indicators such as pubic hair development or an enlarged clitoris are present, precocious puberty is more likely. Treatment may be required to stop the maturation process in these cases.
How Is Premature Thelarche Different From Precocious Puberty?
Premature thelarche is a common yet benign condition that affects young women. On the other hand, precocious puberty is a more severe condition that leads to secondary sexual development, faster growth and skeletal maturation, early epiphyseal fusion, and short adult stature.
What Is the Difference Between Premature Thelarche and Gynecomastia?
Premature thelarche (PT) is the presence of breast tissues in girls younger than the age of eight, while gynecomastia (GM) is the presence of breast tissues in boys. In the pediatric population, gynecomastia in boys and premature thelarche in females are prevalent conditions. Gynecomastia and premature thelarche both are benign physiological conditions.
Conclusion
The term "thelarche" refers to the start of breast growth. As a result, "premature thelarche" refers to when a girl's breasts begin to expand at a young age (somewhere between birth and eight years). Most early episodes of breast enlargement are technically harmless and do not proceed significantly. They do not mark the start of breast development. They are also not usually linked to the onset of puberty's other physical manifestations, such as acne, pubic hair, periods, or rapid growth. Premature thelarche does not require treatment; nonetheless, the doctor and parents should keep an eye on any changes in the girl's breast size. Breast enlargement can last for several years. However, they shrink in size before the girl reaches puberty.
