The main physical problem associated with precocious puberty is that it may stunt the growth of a child. When puberty occurs earlier than it should, the skeletal system does not have enough time to mature on it’s own before beginning the rapid growth associated with puberty. Kids with precocious puberty will initially be much taller than their peers but will stop growing early and end up shorter than the average person. If it goes untreated, boys will typically not pass 5’4” in height and girls will have trouble reaching 5’. 

Perhaps more dangerously, precocious puberty increases a child’s chance of experiencing severe emotional problems. First and second graders are simply not mentally ready to understand the physical changes of puberty (especially menstruation and breast development in girls). Their peers may not be mature enough to understand the changes and to control their confusion. It is more than just normal awkwardness- the emotional traumas associated with precocious puberty can last throughout a lifetime. 

The good news is that your pediatrician should be able to detect the physical changes of puberty and determine whether or not it is too early. If the doctor suspects that you may be experiencing precocious puberty she may order blood and urine tests to detect elevated levels of sex hormones or take an X-ray of the wrist and hand to see whether the bones are maturing too rapidly. You can share this information with your younger siblings if you have already gone through puberty.