A major concern that has creeped up on our nation, is children growing up too quickly. Parents like me, see it first-hand. In order to understand why our children are growing up so fast, we must examine the sources of the problem. In the following I will expand on four main reasons; early puberty, consumerism, peer pressure, and technology, that kids are developing earlier.
Early Puberty
Early puberty has been examined more in young females than males. The average age of a girl going to puberty has decreased. In the early 1900s girl started their periods around age 14 1/2. A little over 100 years later girls are reaching menarche at the age of 12 1/2. Some experts believe that there are a few environmental factors that cause early onset of puberty in girls. The first of these factors is childhood obesity. The rise in childhood BMI was found to be associated with earlier puberty. It is believed that the excess fat on the child releases hormones, such as insulin and estrogen that accelerate the timeline of puberty. Another cause for early puberty is exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can mimic, inhibit, or alter the action of natural hormones (). Because children's bodies are more sensitive to EDCs, they are more susceptible to their effects. …show more content…
These young girls do not yet possess the emotional stability to process the changes that are occurring in their bodies. The psychological effects can extend into adolescence, like depression, eating disorders, and risky behavior such as smoking, the use of alcohol, and sexual behavior. Due to girls maturing earlier, it has been found that they are more susceptible to breast cancer in their adult lives. This is due to the prolonged exposure to ovarian
Early Puberty
Early puberty has been examined more in young females than males. The average age of a girl going to puberty has decreased. In the early 1900s girl started their periods around age 14 1/2. A little over 100 years later girls are reaching menarche at the age of 12 1/2. Some experts believe that there are a few environmental factors that cause early onset of puberty in girls. The first of these factors is childhood obesity. The rise in childhood BMI was found to be associated with earlier puberty. It is believed that the excess fat on the child releases hormones, such as insulin and estrogen that accelerate the timeline of puberty. Another cause for early puberty is exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can mimic, inhibit, or alter the action of natural hormones (). Because children's bodies are more sensitive to EDCs, they are more susceptible to their effects. …show more content…
These young girls do not yet possess the emotional stability to process the changes that are occurring in their bodies. The psychological effects can extend into adolescence, like depression, eating disorders, and risky behavior such as smoking, the use of alcohol, and sexual behavior. Due to girls maturing earlier, it has been found that they are more susceptible to breast cancer in their adult lives. This is due to the prolonged exposure to ovarian