Having examined hormone imbalances in men, women, and teens, we’re now taking a closer look at hormone imbalance and children.

Unsurprisingly, many of the causes are the same in children as they are for adults, so we’re going to focus more on the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance in children. Kids come with their own set of rules when it comes to life and living it, so the same goes for their hormones and health. When a child’s hormones are out of whack, they could be dealing with some pretty serious stuff. There is no shortage of conditions that can arise in children due to hormone imbalance ranging from obesity to growth disorders, from types 1 and 2 diabetes to delayed or precocious puberty, or rare conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome,

The signs and symptoms of hormone imbalance in children can include:

In girls:
Early or delayed breast growth
Early or delayed first period

In boys:
Early or delayed enlarging of the testicles and penis
Facial hair (usually grows first on the upper lip)
Deepening voice
In boys or girls:
Pubic or underarm hair
Rapid growth
Acne
Adult body odor
slow growth
dry skin
unexplained fatigue

If those all sound like signs of puberty, it’s because they are. But remember, we’re not talking about 12 and 13 year olds.

There is an alarming number of pediatric hormone disorders and diseases out there, and frankly, a quick Google search of symptoms can be downright scary. It may seem as though the symptoms may be presenting as puberty, but if your child is too young (before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys) or too old (Delayed puberty is diagnosed when there is no breast development in girls by the age of 13 or growth of testes in boys by the age of 14), you may want to talk to a medical professional and find out what’s going on.

Hormone imbalance in men and women is nothing to laugh about, but when it comes to our kids, it can dramatically effect the rest of their lives. If you feel like something is off in or with your child, trust your parental super senses and talk to someone. If we can get our kids into a healthy, stable balance, they can become healthy, stable, balanced adults!

Sources:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321486.php
https://childrensnational.org/choose-childrens/conditions-and-treatments/diabetes-hormonal-disorders/hormone-disorders-and-diseases
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/precocious-puberty/symptoms-causes/syc-20351811
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cushing-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351310
http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/g/growth-hormone-deficiency/symptoms-and-causes
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/delayed-puberty.html