Like girls, US boys may be hitting puberty earlier
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
Children play at a fountain in New York on Aug 3, 2012. Boys in the United States may be entering puberty earlier than in generations past, a new study has found, suggesting it's not just girls who are developing at younger ages. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK (REUTERS) - Boys in the United States may be entering puberty earlier than in generations past, a new study has found, suggesting it's not just girls who are developing at younger ages.
In comparisons with decades-old data, boys who were seen for well-child visits between 2005 and 2010 were maturing six months to two years sooner, based on their genital development.
The finding is significant for researchers seeking to understand why the age of puberty may be creeping down.
The discovery is also important for parents, who have to know how and when to discuss changing bodies with their children, according to the lead author of the study published online on Saturday by the journal Pediatrics.
