Bad dads cause early puberty
Categories: Teens & Tweens, Just For Dads, Divorce & Custody, Development
Research has shown that girls who get their period earlier on are at higher risk of breast cancer, depression and teen pregnancy. There are a lot of factors that can contribute to reaching puberty earlier, including obesity, nutrition, and exposure to chemicals. Now, there's another factor that appears to trigger earlier onset of puberty: fathers -- specifically fathers who are addicted to drugs or alcohol, are abusive, or are involved in criminal activity.
It's not so much the living with an abusive or drug-using father, however, that spurred the early development as it was his leaving. The theory is that the girls are responding to a "window of opportunity" by developing faster. "In the world in which humans evolved, dangerous or unstable home environments meant a shorter lifespan, and going into puberty earlier in this context increased chances of surviving, reproducing and passing on your genes," said Professor Bruce Ellis who worked on the study.
It seems to me that the practical application of this information is not that abusive fathers should necessarily stick around, but that fathers shouldn't be such a problem in the first place. This is just one more reason to work really hard to be the best father possible.
It's not so much the living with an abusive or drug-using father, however, that spurred the early development as it was his leaving. The theory is that the girls are responding to a "window of opportunity" by developing faster. "In the world in which humans evolved, dangerous or unstable home environments meant a shorter lifespan, and going into puberty earlier in this context increased chances of surviving, reproducing and passing on your genes," said Professor Bruce Ellis who worked on the study.
It seems to me that the practical application of this information is not that abusive fathers should necessarily stick around, but that fathers shouldn't be such a problem in the first place. This is just one more reason to work really hard to be the best father possible.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Melinda 10-01-2008 @ 8:49AM
I agree whole heartedly, this makes a lot of sence to me, My daughter now thirteen started her period when she was 11 to me that is early, It seemed when my boyfriend became psyco and began being abbusive and then we separated she blossemed overnight... I always worried it was because he had molested her but she told me when questioned that she would have told me if that would have happened. Now this makes sence. Thank you! It makes it easier to belive my daughter now!
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ame s 9-24-2008 @ 5:34PM
Hmm.
I started wearing a bra at 9 and menstruated at 10. I didn't get pregnant for the first time until I was 28. My father is great, and has been married to my mother for 41 years. My older daughter needed a bra at 9, menstruated at 10. I'm sure there is a study out there that would deduce that she matured early because her father died when she was 5.
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