Condition Lookup
Category:
Pediatric Endocrinology
Number of Conditions: 2
Delayed Puberty
Specialty: Diabetes and Endocrinology
Category: Pediatric Endocrinology
Sub-category: Growth and Development Disorders
Symptoms:
absence of breast development by age 13 in girls; no testicular enlargement by age 14 in boys; short stature; immature physical appearance compared to peers
Root Cause:
Often due to insufficient gonadotropin secretion (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism), primary gonadal failure, chronic illnesses, or nutritional deficiencies.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Bone age assessment via X-ray, hormonal testing (FSH, LH, testosterone/estradiol), genetic testing, MRI of the brain to rule out hypothalamic-pituitary abnormalities.
Treatment:
Hormone replacement therapy (estrogen or testosterone), treatment of underlying conditions (e.g., nutritional supplementation, managing chronic disease).
Medications:
Testosterone injections or patches (androgen replacement), estradiol patches or oral pills (estrogen replacement), gonadotropins for specific cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Approximately 2% of adolescents experience delayed puberty, more common in boys than girls.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of delayed puberty, chronic illnesses (e.g., Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis), malnutrition, genetic conditions (e.g., Turner syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases of constitutional delay resolve naturally; those due to treatable underlying conditions have good outcomes with appropriate intervention.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Psychosocial distress, low self-esteem, delayed bone maturation and reduced peak bone mass, infertility if untreated.
Precocious Puberty
Specialty: Diabetes and Endocrinology
Category: Pediatric Endocrinology
Sub-category: Growth and Development Disorders
Symptoms:
early development of secondary sexual characteristics before age 8 in girls or age 9 in boys; rapid growth; advanced bone age; early onset menstruation in girls; deepened voice in boys
Root Cause:
Premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (central precocious puberty) or excess sex steroid production from adrenal or gonadal sources (peripheral precocious puberty).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Hormonal blood tests (FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone), GnRH stimulation test, imaging studies (MRI of the brain, ultrasound of ovaries/testes), bone age assessment.
Treatment:
GnRH analogs to suppress premature puberty in central cases, addressing underlying tumors or hormonal disorders in peripheral cases.
Medications:
Leuprolide (a GnRH agonist), histrelin implant (GnRH agonist), medroxyprogesterone acetate for temporary hormonal suppression.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1 in 5,000-10,000 children; more common in girls.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of precocious puberty, central nervous system lesions, obesity, exposure to exogenous hormones.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Favorable with early diagnosis and treatment; untreated cases may lead to short stature due to early closure of growth plates.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Psychological distress, reduced adult height, potential fertility issues, risk of underlying tumors in certain cases.