The number of precocious puberty cases in Taiwan has been increasing since 2017, the latest National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) data showed.
In 2017, parents sought medical assistance for 14,791 children under the age of 10 showing signs of precocious puberty.
That number grew in 2019 by 17.2 percent, and in 2021 rose 27.3 percent to 25,970 children, the data showed.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
Girls aged six to 10 accounted for 90 percent of the cases.
A doctor said the most concerning aspect is that in 2021 there were nearly 1,000 cases of precocious puberty in children younger than five, including a child younger than one year.
Precocious puberty is defined in girls as having enlarged breasts before the age of eight, or boys having enlarged testes before the age of nine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital Department of Pediatrics Director Yang Chia-feng (楊佳鳳) said yesterday.
Precocious puberty leads to accelerated growth, accelerated bone maturation and ultimately reduced stature, she said.
“Girls with precocious puberty [usually] stop growing when they reach about 140cm in height and boys stop growing at about 160cm,” Yang said.
Precocious puberty in girls is easier to detect, as the growth in breast size is noticeable, but the growth of testes in boys often goes unnoticed by parents after the child reaches a certain age, she said.
Therefore, parents should have their child’s bone age tested at least once before the child turns 10, she added.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, three factors might have contributed to a rise in cases of precocious puberty, Yang said.
Increased use of smartphones and tablets resulted in increased exposure to blue light, which has been found to accelerate puberty in some studies, she said.
There has also been an increase in obesity rates due to overeating and a lack of exercise, as well as pandemic-induced stress — both of which could increase the risk of precocious puberty, Yang said.
Although precocious puberty is more common in girls, it is increasing in boys, she said, adding that parents should be vigilant to reduce the risks.
Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital Department of Pediatrics Director Chen Yi-ling (陳怡伶) said that another cause of the condition can be the use of adult skincare products or nutritional supplements by children.
Products made for adults should never be used by children, she said.
Health Promotion Administration official Lo Su-ying (羅素英) said that parents should avoid giving children foods containing high levels of sugar or fat.
It is not recommended to strictly control children’s diets when they are growing, but too much high-sugar and high-fat foods can lead to obesity, she said.
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