Could My 8 Year Old Be Getting Her Period?

HI!
I don't know if she's getting her period, but based on what you shared, I would buy her the American Girl book "The Care and Keeping of You". I found it in Barnes and Noble. It preps girls for puberty with fun quizzes, cartoons, and it describes 'stages' of puberty, so they can be prepared for what their body is going through. My daughter hated to read at age 9, but she flew through this book in a night! She loved it. It was very explanatory, and easy for her to understand. It may help both of you get through this awkward stage.

Good Luck!
C.

Hi C.,
When I was in 2nd grade (8 yrs) I got hit in the boob by a boy and it HURT. So when I told my mom she took me to the doctor and he was concerned to went to a specialist at the University of Iowa's Childrens Hospital and they told me (in layman's terms) my body was 3 years ahead of my actual age and to expect an early period. I ended up with period in 5th grade and was 5'9" in 7th grade! So it is very possible, maybe worth having checked out...
Hope this helps!

First of all, instead of refering to the female private part as the v jay jay, be at least somewhat mature and call it by its actual name - the vagina.
Second of all, why are you asking this question on a website message board?? If you think your 8 yr old daughter is showing signs of possibly starting her period that is nothing to wait around and wonder about. You should be calling her pediatrician immediately.

C. rest assure that your daughter will probably not get her period for at least a couple more years. But she will still get the body cycling like if she did get her period. I had a girlfriend whose daughter went for two years like that before she got her period. She started at 11 then actually got her peioid when she was 13. Her mood swings might be hurendus also the cramping to. What I found out to work for me when i had my period was the therma patch for periods their shaped to fit by that area you just attach it to your underwear and the heat lasts up to 8 hours. When i used them it seemed to last up to 12 hours. Also ibuprofen is a nice friend to use also hot baths don't forget to lotion body after because hot water drys skin. Might sound weird but i also would use a massager on lower abdomen to relax the muscles. Keep your head up high and keep the lines of communicatioin open so she will feel comfortable enough to talk to you about it. Also when she does get it buy the pads with wings so it won't move. Another good thing would go out just you and her and celebrate by telling her welcome to womenhood. This way it will make the transition easier. If she wants to stay home for her first time of getting it please let her that will help her also.

Little about me: Divorced mother, I have two beatiful boys 13 and ten. I'm a LPN for the State of MN. at a group home. I'm also going back to school for my RN. I had a hysterectomy a year ago come March 22 (ovarian cysts,fibroids)

My niece started to go through puberty at 8 yrs old as well. When they took her to the doctor they said it was over active hormones. My brother and his wife decided to remove all hormone injected food from their diets. Free-range meats, cage-free eggs, rBST/rBGH free milk, etc. All those hormone injected foods caused her to go through puberty early. The Dr. said this is becoming more and more common. After a couple months her hormone levels dropped and puberty stopped! She is turning 12 next week and just got her period a few months ago. These foods are a little more expensive, but compared to Dr. bills and the health of our children it is worth it. I am not ruling out the possibility of endometriosis, but if that isn't the case... Good luck to you and your daughter

I think if your daughter is starting to show other signs of puberty, than her period could be just around the corner. It is great you have started to discuss these changes with her. I highly recommend a book by American Girl called The Care and Keeping of You. My 9 year old and I are reading it together.

It's thought that the chemicals that leach out of some plastics act as endocrine disruptors. In boys, they can cause delayed maturity, but in girls they speed things up (these chemicals seem to mimic estrogen.) She could indeed be getting her period now/soon.

It's hard to avoid plastics - they are everywhere.

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/101/plastic is a good place to start,

C. F.,

My daughter is 6 years old and will be 7 in April. I called her Pediatrician when I noticed she we developing underarm hair! I too was concerned about my daughter starting her period soon. The Doctor told me that girls are starting their periods younger and younger. I theorized that it has something to do with the additives in our foods. My Pediatrician said long as a young girl child is not developing pubic hair they (Dr.s) are not usually concerned about early period starting. If you have concerns about her early developement, the Dr. can keep watch of her hormone levels with simple blood tests and decide on a plan of action to deal with her early developement. I have a dear friend with the same concerns as ours. Her 9 year old daughters Dr. recognized through tests that the 9 year was about to start her period. Because the Dr. thought she was too young, they stopped some of that hormonal activity so she wouldnt start her period so soon. Take your concerns to your Dr. Good Luck!

Hi,
my girls are now 13 and 15 and both started their periods in the middle of 5th grade, one was 10 and one was 11. I started seeing signs with my 15 year old when she was in 3rd grade. I spoke to her teacher about it just to kind of prepare her 'just in case' and she said there was already a girl who had hers... in 3rd grade! I asked our pediatrician about it and she said that you can expect it to start approximately 2 years from the time you start seeing 'buds' or other signs of puberty. It's so hard, they seem to grow up so fast. I would say it's not unusual so it's good that you prepared her, even if it doesn't happen for a year. Good luck!

Since your daughter is only 8 years old, but has already shown some body changes, I'd take her to a pediatric endocronologist. (We did this with our daughter.) The doctor we took our daughter to, was very informative and helped monitor the situation. She explained to our daughter about menstruation but also monitored her growth. (She was making sure that her growth was at a steady rate.) We went to her every six months for two years until we were confident that our daughter was developmentally within the range of her peer group. I have heard of eight year olds getting their period, but emotionally and socially, it's a lot for them to handle. It's good that you've already talked with her about it. Also, American Girl has a great book about developing and taking care of your body. (Just GOOGLE American Girl body book and you should find it.)

good luck to you and your daughter.

Girls can start getting hair years before getting their periods. I remember getting hairy in 5th grade and didn't get my period until 7th grade.
She may very well get it though. Many kids are hitting puberty at younger and younger ages because of all the hormones in food and milk.
J.
Mom to 4 and soon one more through another adoption.

Yes girls are hitting puberty earlier & earlier. Many attribute this to all the hormones etc. in the food we eat. Just a suggestion to slow down the procees but try only letting her drink milk without the rGBH & meat that is hormone free.

Hello

One of my aunts started at 9 and she talks about how horrible it was to feel young and the only one of her friends etc.
Great that you are talking to her about all the changes.
8 is a little early.. my sisters and I all started after 15!

More and more young girls are developing early--
on the rise is cysts and uterine fibroids that can cause major cramping -- (excess estrogen) with your history of endometriosis -- I would energize -- loveing the uterus and womanhood with your daughter --

I would eliminate all hormone induce food from her diet
Including Dairy and Meat(especially)

Drinking constantly from plastic water bottles throws off the estrogen as well -- A DIM product can help with this ...

If you already eat organic hormone free eggs meat and milk-- I would check her progesterone and estrogen levels --
( your OB can run a hormone panel test.)

All the extra estrogen in the food and water (birth control pills are released in the urine into the water supply etc)- Is a cause early development ---

Please feel free to email me with questions or a phone consult for more info -- on finding a balance .. ____@____.com
Be Well!!

I was 9 years old and knew nothing about what was happening. Educate and enlighten her so she won't be fearful. I was the only girl in my class who wore a bra and I was teased mercilessly.

C.,
I am a mom of a 16 year old who has just been confirmed to have pretty widespread endometriosis. She is having to go on Lupron which will temporarily put her in menopause. The side effects are pretty tough on her. 8 years old is pretty young for a period but they say girls are getting their period younger. I would keep a journal of her complaints. When you go to a doctor you could show them if there is any recurring pattern with the pain. I would also find a good gynecologist to go to as a family practice doctor may not have the expertise you need especially with your history of endometriosis. Our gynecologist suspected endometriosis 4 years ago when our daughters cycle 1st started and she has been on several birth control methods, but either the endometriosis was established before she got on the meds or the meds didn't control it.

I am a mom of 3 daughters 21, 18 and 16.

i really dont know what to tell you, other than maybe its cysts on her ovaries? i know i used to get them alot, and right before they would burst it would hurt like heck! or maybe her appendix? 8 seems aweful young to become a woman, but i guess nature has its way about her. i guess if i were you i would take her to the dr. just to be sure its nothing medical. best of luck to you and her!

C.,

I used to work for a non-profit called the MAGIC Foundation and it deals with children's growth (hormonal) disorders. There is one called precocious puberty where girls develop early. The doctor that treats it is a pediatric endocrinologist. I'm not sure what age is normal for a period anymore! That's the first thing I thought of when I read your question. Hope this helps and good luck,

L.

You should talk to your pediatrician about this, as this development is abnormally early. He may recommend treatment to delay further development, as hitting puberty too early can affect her bone growth. When I worked at a Home Health Agency (I'm an RN), 1 of my coworkers had a client the same age with same 'symptoms' who was receiving injections to delay her puberty. Seriously, call your doctor.

8 is nothing these days for getting a period. If she has hair that young she's going to be a early bird. It usually follows hair,breast buds then the period. Cramps may come for a few months - year before the actual period that happened with my neighbor.

Once you notice she is getting breasts and hair, it will be at least another two years.

Sure sounds like it. They seem to be getting younger and younger and they do tend to follow the parent- and you were fairly young as well. It wouldn't hurt to call her physician and see if he/she recommends coming in to get checked out. If she is in pain and it isn't her period then they may be able to give her a gentle laxative like Miralax or something.

Hey C., my daughter experienced some of the same. She finally got her period right after her 10th birthday. Some called is precoucious puberty, you can google that and find many articles.
Her body began changing and I thought her period would be next, so I switched our diet to organic/hormone free and stopped eating fast food. There is a shot that they can take to stop the process, but I opted to not take the shot and had favorable results with the diet. Some think that it is due to the hormones in our foods AND hair products that are causing young girls to get their periods so young. You can't stop it, but you may be able to slow it some. Most importantly, I had a great attitude about it and she has a positive outlook about her period and doesn't dread it. Good luck.

She very well could be. I know that age 8 is very young, but I experienced this as a child. I was 8 when I got mine for the first time. I know that in my family it's somewhat hereditary so to speak, all the women on my mother's side have gotten it early. So I would be watching for it. Make sure when she goes to school she has extra clothes and protection with her just in case, that could be very embarassing for her if she got it while at school.

I have 2 girls, 19 and 13 and they both got their periods at 9. My girls are bi-racial and I have been told that some hair products have estrogen and different products that can speed up the process. I was 9 when I got mine, though. I am not sure how much heredity plays into it!