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Abstract: Peripheral precocious puberty is a common disease in pediatrics. The 6-week-old girl presented in this article presented with symptoms of breast enlargement and breast swelling and pain, which belonged to premature sexual development, and peripheral precocious puberty was considered in combination with auxiliary examination.
Basic information】Female, 6 years old
Type of disease】Precocious peripheral puberty
Hospital】Nanjing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Date of Consultation】February 2022
Treatment plan】Medication (Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan)
Treatment Period】One month
Effectiveness】The child’s breast enlargement subsided and the breast swelling and pain was relieved.
I. Initial consultation
This is a case of a 6-year-old child who presented with premature swelling and pain in one breast and breast enlargement with a nucleus to the touch. The child’s medical history showed that the child usually likes to eat sweets and fried foods. The child’s medical history, physical examination, and family history are considered to be peripheral precocious puberty. The key to confirmation is that the child developed secondary sexual characteristics before the younger age of 8 weeks.
II. Treatment history
In view of the significantly early appearance of secondary sex characteristics, the child was given some tests, such as sex hormone testing and bone age films, which showed elevated FT3 levels, low estradiol and luteinizing hormone levels, and the child’s bone age was large. After the assessment, the child’s bone age was large. At the same time, parents were instructed to avoid eating a lot of sweets or fried foods, to develop the habit of not eating snacks, and to focus on seasonal vegetables and seasonal foods for three meals a day.
(Sex hormone test)
(Bone age film)
III. Treatment effect
After one month of treatment, the child’s breast enlargement symptoms subsided, the breast swelling and pain disappeared, and her appetite for food improved significantly, and she slept more soundly. In the end, the parents were very satisfied with the treatment results and the child’s mood improved.
IV. Precautions
For the child in this case, the parents were able to detect the abnormality in time, and brought the child to the clinic in time for a clear diagnosis and early treatment, and were truly happy for the remarkable treatment effect. In this case, the peripheral precocious puberty was mainly related to the poor dietary habits of the child. Therefore, parents are advised to let their children eat less high-calorie food, such as fried food and puffed food, and try not to eat vegetables and fruits in the opposite season, because some of them have relatively high hormone content. Develop good work and rest habits, avoid staying up late, and participate in physical exercise appropriately. Because the children appear the secondary sexual characteristics too early, it is still difficult for them to adapt to the changes in their own bodies, so parents should take more care of their children and do a good job of psychological guidance.
V. Personal insight
When a child has premature secondary sex characteristics, parents should take the child to the hospital for corresponding examinations, such as basic sex hormone measurement, bone age film examination, uterus and ovaries and breast ultrasound, in order to assess the child’s growth and development and to clarify the child’s own situation. However, some children with precocious puberty belong to central precocious puberty, and if parents do not take their children to a professional hospital in time for intervention and treatment, it may cause premature epiphyseal closure, resulting in eventual short stature. Therefore, we should pay attention to the differential diagnosis of precocious puberty and treat the cause.