The New Puberty: How to Navigate Early Development in Today's Girls

by Louise Greenspan, Julianna Deardorff Ph.D.

Overview

The coming-of-age experience has changed dramatically, with girls maturing sooner than ever. But what happens when a girl has the body of a 13-year-old and the brain of an 8-year-old? Contrary to popular wisdom, early puberty is not merely a reflection of physical changes—it’s deeply psychological, too, with effects that can put a girl at higher risk for behavioral problems and long-term health challenges, such as obesity, depression, eating disorders, and even cancer.

The New Puberty is a reassuring, empowering guide for millions of parents—as well as teachers, coaches, pediatricians, and family members—by two notable experts in the field. Compiling original research and clinical experience, Drs. Greenspan and Deardorff offer practical strategies for supporting girls entering this complex stage of their lives. Readers will learn why girls are developing faster than they did a generation ago (it’s not just environmental toxins); the potential physical and emotional consequences; how to tell if a girl has reached puberty early and what to do; and how to initiate and continue difficult conversations.

Impeccably researched, comfortingly prescriptive, and a timely antidote to sensationalistic headlines, The New Puberty provides the roadmap to help young girls move forward with confidence, ensuring their optimal health and happiness for the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781623363420
Publisher:	Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
Publication date:	09/09/2014
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Louise Greenspan, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist focusing on puberty and an international leader in the field, works at Kaiser Permanente and is on faculty at UCSF.

Julianna Deardorff, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in adolescence, and is on faculty at UC Berkeley. The authors’ pioneering work on a recent early puberty study won them the 2013 Community Breast Cancer Research Award. They have contributed to Time magazine, Science, New York Times Magazine, and NPR. Both have young daughters and live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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CHAPTER ONE
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Excerpted from "The New Puberty"
by .
Copyright © 2015 Louise Greenspan.
Excerpted by permission of Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction: Welcome to the New Puberty: Is She Entering Puberty Early? xi

Part I The Causes of Early Puberty

Chapter 1 Move Over, Judy Blume: How We Define Puberty Today 3

Chapter 2 7 Going on 17: The Potential Repercussions of Early Puberty 25

Chapter 3 Nature versus Nurture: An In-Depth Look at Puberty Prompters 47

Part II Strategies to Help Growing Girls Thrive

Chapter 4 Is Treatment Necessary?: How to Know When to Medically Intervene 75

Chapter 5 How to Manage Environmental Risks: Practicing the Precautionary Principle 93

Chapter 6 Lifestyle Matters: Establishing Healthy Habits 117

Chapter 7 "What Is She Thinking?": Inside the Brain of a Developing 155

Chapter 8 Don't Have "the Talk," Start the Conversation: Building Emotional Closeness 183

Acknowledgments 217

Selected References 221

Recommended Reading and Additional Resources 231

Index 239

Editorial Reviews

08/18/2014
A growing number of young girls, some as young as seven-and-a-half years old, have been entering puberty early. This accessible volume from clinical psychologist Deardorff and pediatric endocrinologist Greenspan examines the phenomenon’s causes and cases and offers strategies for girls and their parents to understand, manage, and possibly delay adverse physiological and psychological effects. Identifying three main “puberty prompters”—obesity, exposure to xenoestrogens and other chemicals that affect the hormone system, and social and psychological stressors—the authors suggest lifestyle changes including healthy nutrition, limited exposure to synthetic chemicals in household and beauty products, and the creation of a supportive family environment. They also discuss when medical intervention is appropriate and how to avoid future social and medical repercussions. While the media has, perhaps, sensationalized this topic, the good news is that while breast development, mood swings, body odor, and other signs of puberty may be evident in girls younger than in previous generations, the whole process now lasts longer, ending with menarche (the onset of menstruation) at an average age of 12 and a half. Urging parents not to “have the talk” with their daughters but rather to start an ongoing conversation as soon as possible, the authors share an abundance of action-based steps that should allay the fears of many panicked moms and dads and help girls to grow and thrive. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Filled with surprising and fascinating research, as well as practical and empowering strategies, The New Puberty is a book every parent and health practitioner needs to read.

author of the New York Times bestselling The End o David Kessler

The New Puberty is a truly important book. Without jumping to conclusions, this book shows concern without alarm, discusses the scientific factors that could be triggering it,and most important details the psychological consequences that girls might go through, and the support they need.” —Po Bronson, co-author of NurtureShock

“The New Puberty is a treasure trove of information. In it, the authors take a deep dive into the psychology and biology of teen girls. It is destined to become a classic for parents and educators.” —Louann Brizendine, MD, author of The Female Brain and founder/director of the Women's and Teen Girl's Mood and Hormone Clinic, UCSF

“Filled with surprising and fascinating research, as well as practical and empowering strategies, The New Puberty is a book every parent and health practitioner needs to read.” —David Kessler, author of the New York Times bestselling The End of Overeating and former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration

“Increasingly parents are asking why their children are heading into puberty at a much younger age than they ever did. Combining their backgrounds as both scientists and parents, Greenspan and Deardorff give them all of the answers they are looking for. The New Puberty explains why our changing world has affected our kids' bodies--then guides parents on what they can do. Anyone who has a young girl will want to read this book!” —Cara Natterson, MD, pediatrician and New York Times bestselling author of The Care and Keeping of You 2

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