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Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has several outpatient and urgent care centers throughout South Florida, including on-demand, virtual care.
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We have expertise in treating children and educating families on hundreds of different conditions.
We use cutting-edge, specialized treatments and procedures to ensure the best care for your child.
Also known as: PA
Adrenarche means “awakening of the adrenal gland”. There are two adrenal glands, each one lies at the top of each kidney which produce sex hormones that cause some of the changes that are seen when a child's body goes through puberty. For example, pubic and body hair, oily skin, and body odor. When these changes occur early (before 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys), it's called premature adrenarche (during puberty the ovaries and testicles produce the hormones which caused sexual maturity e.g. Breasts etc. in girls and enlarged testes/penis etc. in boy).
Early adrenarche is usually normal (occasionally there may be a problem) and occurs when the adrenal glands begin secreting sex hormones earlier than normal. The reason for this is unknown.
Other than early development, there usually are no other symptoms related to premature adrenarche (other signs of puberty tend to develop in a normal fashion).
No treatment is needed for premature adrenarche other than reassurance that the changes are normal.
Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP
This page was last updated on: November 03, 2021 03:46 PM
The Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital provides comprehensive services for infants, children, and adolescents with endocrine disorders.
Date: Monday, July 08, 2024
Camp Roaring Sun is a camp exclusively for children ages 6 through 11 with type 1 diabetes who are treated at Nicklaus Children's Hospital or the surrounding area. Learn More.
One adrenal gland lies above each kidney. These manufacture a number of hormones that are vital to many bodily functions. When the adrenal glands produce too little or too much of one or more hormones significant health problems occur and these conditions are generally known as adrenal disorders.
Precocious puberty is the earlier than normal presence of the signs of puberty (before 8 years of age in girls, and before 9 years in boys).