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Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Precocious Puberty

Symptoms & Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Puberty is called precocious in African American girls if they develop breasts before they are 5 or 6 years old. It is called precocious in Caucasian girls if they develop breasts before they are 6 or 7 years old. Precocious puberty is much more common in girls than it is in boys.

African American and Caucasian boys both start puberty at about 9 years old. Puberty is called precocious for them if they begin sexual changes before this time.

Children with CPP grow quicker than normal. Children with isolated, partial forms of precocious puberty, on the other hand, usually grow normally. In male CPP, the testicles enlarge before the penis begins to enlarge. In PPP, the penis grows much larger than the testicles.

Mental development is usually the same as other children their age. Mood swings are not uncommon, but serious psychological problems are unusual.

Other special conditions that may be seen include the following:

The early development of breast tissue without other signs of puberty, or premature thelarche. This occurs in the first 2 years of life, and lasts about 3 to 5 years. It rarely progresses any further. It is usually a benign condition, but it may be the first sign of true precocious puberty.

The appearance of sexual hair prior to age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys, or premature adrenarche. This occurs more often in girls, and in African American children. Rarely, it is caused by a disorder of the adrenal gland. The condition is usually benign. Girls who have this condition may develop polycystic ovarian disease as adults.

The early appearance of menstrual periods without other signs of puberty, or premature menarche. Usually girls who have this condition have only 1 to 3 early periods, then go on to have a normal puberty and menstrual cycle.

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