Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Hospital Specialist Clinical Psychologist Dr. Gökçe Vogt made an assessment about early adolescence and the problems related to this period.
Noting that the post-childhood and pre-adulthood period is called adolescence, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “Adolescence starts around the age of 10 in girls and around the age of 12 in boys. Puberty includes rapid growth of bones and muscles, changes in body shape and size, and the development of the body's reproductive ability. The onset of puberty before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys is defined as precocious puberty. said.
“In order to understand what causes precocious puberty, it will be helpful to know what causes the onset of puberty,” said Dr. Gökçe Vogt said that the onset of puberty is normally triggered by the hypothalamus.
Noting that this area of the brain signals the pituitary gland to release hormones that stimulate the ovaries or testicles to produce sex hormones, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “Premature puberty is most commonly caused by the brain sending this signal earlier than it should, especially in girls. There is no other underlying medical problem or trigger. Less frequently, it is due to a more serious problem such as precocious puberty, a tumor, or trauma. Thyroid or ovarian problems can also trigger early puberty. In these cases, there are other symptoms that often point to a more serious problem.” warned.
Stating that early puberty is less common in boys and is more likely to be associated with another medical problem, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “For about 5 percent of men, the condition is hereditary. In addition, malnutrition and the effects of some chemicals on the hormonal system are among the factors that affect the age of puberty. Today, obesity is one of the important factors leading to early puberty. he said.
“Negative effects of early puberty are observed”
Stating that the biggest priority of children in the pre-adolescent period is to adapt to their peers, Dr. Gökçe Vogt stated that there are studies on the negative effects of precocious puberty and said:
“From this point of view, being physically different from their peers can negatively affect their mental health. A study of young people who started puberty earlier than their peers found that girls who entered puberty earlier were at higher risk for many psycho-social problems, such as depression, substance use, and early sexual behavior. In another study, it was revealed that girls and boys who entered early puberty increased their anxiety levels during this change process, started to have a negative self-image and experienced stress in interpersonal relationships. In addition, it has been associated with adolescent eating disorders and disruptive behavior disorders, especially in girls.
“The feedback received during this period is affecting”
Noting that when children develop early, the way they act and think does not always match their images, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “For this reason, other children and adults may make erroneous assumptions about what they can do, especially about their maturity. This situation can be especially challenging and worrying for girls. In this process of change, children receive feedback about themselves from many sources and make inferences about themselves with all this information. It is almost impossible for parents to try to control all this feedback from the outside world.” said.
Expressing that the biggest task falls on families during this period, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “For this reason, the most basic thing for parents is to create a loving family environment for their children. They need to give messages that they are with their children and that they will support them. Children with supportive parents will have much less difficulty in this process of change.” said.
“The child should be told that the change he is experiencing is normal”
Stating that the primary thing for parents to do is to give their children a simple and accurate explanation of what is happening, Dr. Gökçe Vogt said, “They should inform their children that these changes are normal, but earlier than they should be, and therefore they should seek support from a doctor. Phrases such as “Everyone goes through puberty, yours started early” can help parents.” gave advice.
Noting that low grades, problems at school, loss of interest in daily activities and unhappiness can be warning signs for parents, Dr. Gökçe Vogt concluded his words as follows:
“Another issue that parents of children entering early puberty should pay particular attention to is their children's friends. Studies show that the social environment of children entering early adolescence is the biggest factor in directing them to negative behaviors such as substance use. Finally, in order for their children to have a healthy body image and difficult self-esteem, parents should not make comments about their child's appearance.”
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