Abstract

TEMBOURY MOLINA, M.C.. Normal pubertal development: Precocious puberty. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria [online]. 2009, vol.11, suppl.16, pp.127-142. ISSN 1139-7632.

Puberty refers to the final stage of children's growth and development in which adult height, reproductive and psychosocial maturity are reached. It is initiated in the central nervous system by neuroendocrine factors (under genetic control and environmental influence) that activate the hypothalamic- pituitary-gonadal axis and its regulatory mechanisms. Precocious puberty is defined as the progressive onset of pubertal signs at an age more than 2.5 SD below the mean of a population. It may be gonadotropin-dependent (central) or gonadotropin-independent (peripheral). Most of the cases are idiopathic, but occasionally the cause may be an underlying organic disease with variable severity. Treatment is recommended because of the negative effects it may have on the child's development.

Keywords : Puberty; Central precocious puberty; Adult height.

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