Early Signs & Symptoms of PCOS In Children

PIC 1 Woman with PCOS at age 6 & age 9 (breast development, obesity, signs of insulin resistence-weight gain in the arms/upper body, belly weight)

NOTE: I AM NOT AN OBGYN/MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. This is my experience and what I have learned through years of dealing with PCOS and all the associated health and mental conditions related to it. That said:

I believe a major cause of PCOS is BPA. It's a hormone disruptive chemical and highly toxic. And it's everywhere. 93% of Americans have testable levels in our systems. It lines our canned goods, liquid baby formula cans, it's in our cups and plates and our baby's bottles, cups and plates. Don't be fooled by "BPA Free" bottles and plastics, the chemicals they're using have the same or similar affect on our bodies.

It makes sense that this chemical would cause everyone consuming it in the household to be affected (why siblings would be likely to have PCOS). It affects us on a genetic level and is passed down to our offspring (why daughters of mother with PCOS are at risk). Mammals exposed to BPA develop PCOS and their offspring in turn are more likely to develop it as well.

Signs of PCOS in Adolescence

Sounds crazy, right? Like we don't have enough to worry about. But it's true, many girls start showing signs of PCOS in childhood. If a mother, sister or aunt has PCOS a girl is over 50% likely to develop PCOS.

Signs of PCOS can start at an unexpectedly early age. There is still very little known about PCOS and how to/or if if can be diagnosed in children. As far as I know, there is no adequate diagnosis criteria for prepubescent girls but mothers (or fathers whose mother/sisters/aunts had PCOS, since it can be passed down from the male line too) who have PCOS, or a sister, mother or aunt with it should be on the look out for the following:

Also note that some of these symptoms can be signs of thyroid/hormonal/chemical or other disorders and their presence should be mentioned to your pediatrician along with your own or family history of PCOS.

Mood Swings & Depression

Girls could start having mood swings, anxiety and signs of depression at a very young age. *I myself recall feeling empty/very down around age 11-12 but looking back on poetry I wrote, the themes of emptiness/anxiety/sadness show up at age 10 or sooner. I missed a lot of school because of anxiety. That started in 1st-2nd grade.

This may not happen to every child that is destined to develop PCOS but it's something to be on the watch for and should be reported to a doctor asap so that it can be addressed. Emotional upset/change can be indicators of trauma, stress, other health issues and should be addressed asap to rule out a major problem.

Weight

Average weight babies can start to gain weight that is difficult to control very young, it is especially concerning if other siblings or parents are average weight and eat the same diet.

*I was average weight until age 5. I still had a muscular frame, wide shoulders, overall husky/athletic build but not overweight. By age 5 I started gaining weight in my upper body, I developed "breasts", and belly weight while my legs didn't and are still the thinnest part of me.

The opposite can also be found, though less common. A girl that is very thin, has trouble gaining weight could end up being diagnosed with PCOS as an adult.

Excessive weight, especially in the upper body since it signals Insulin Resistance, and/or belly since it signals hormonal upset causing male hormones to rise, or low weight can be signs of diabetes, insulin resistance or other conditions that need to be evaluated by medical professionals.

-This may not happen to every child that is destined to develop PCOS but it's something to be on the watch for and should be reported to a doctor so that it can be addressed. Weight gain or loss can be a sign of thyroid, pituitary or other issues.

Precocious Puberty (early puberty)

Girls who have very early signs of puberty may be more likely to develop PCOS. If your child shows signs of early purberty (before age 8-9 for girls) it should be reported to their doctor to rule out all hormonal/other medical disorders.

-pubic hair *(I had this at 7 or sooner, I remember my sister teasing me)

-underarm odor *(I had this at about 8)

-a growth spurt or several in a row *(I was the tallest kid in class in from 2nd-4th grade but I stopped growing that year and am still only 4ft 7in tall, a classic sign/affect of Precocious Puberty)

-acne *(had this at 7 and still do at 32)

-deepening voice *(I don't remember what age this started but I do have a deeper voice, not super deep but deeper/more rumble-purr-like than most women)

-early menstruation *(I started at 9)

-breast development *(I had "breasts" by age 5-6)

If your child has any of these symptoms they should be reported to their doctor and be referred to a pediatric endocrinologist. If your regular pediatrician ignores your concerns (especially if a family member has PCOS or a family history of Precocious Puberty) go over their head. Early treatment (regulating the elevated hormones associated with both Precocious Puberty and PCOS) may make a huge difference in the lifelong issues associated with both, allow them to reach their maximum height and control PCOS. If you want more info about early puberty visit: http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sexual/precocious.html

Delayed Puberty

Thin/under-average weight women who develop PCOS may experience this more than those of us who suffer obesity but overweight girls may still be at risk since the hormones are affected by excess body fat and that may increase the risk of delayed puberty. There is just not enough research and data collected to be able to use delayed puberty as a major sign but since it is more common in women with PCOS than the general population it deserves mention.

*With Precocious Puberty, I've experienced it myself so I know it may be an indicator. I have a childhood friend I grew up with from kindergarten until she moved out of state for collage. We were the "odd couple" I was fat and made fun of for that and she was very thin and teased for being too thin. Her mother was overweight (upper body and belly), she had male pattern baldness, skin tags and facial hair. Now I wonder if she didn't have PCOS. She could only have 1 child, that also goes along with PCOS, IR, weight and infertility. My friend had very little breast development and no menarche (1st period) when most girls do (13-15). She had to be given hormones at 18 (I believe) to kick-start her system. This may be the affect of having a mother with PCOS or she may have developed it herself or none of the above.

Signs of Delayed Puberty

-no menarche (1st period) by 16

-no breast development by 13

Girls who experience delayed puberty are often on the small side of normal or underweight and shorter than their peers. There are girls who gain height and may start showing signs of puberty and then suddenly stop. There are many diverse possible causes including heredity, environment, illness, diet, use of ADD medications, chronic illness, stress, hormonal disorders . .

Any child (male or female) displaying signs of delayed or precocious puberty should be seen by their doctor to determine whether there is a serious condition causing the symptoms. If you have PCOS you may want to keep a record of when your children start showing signs of puberty, when/if weight is an issue, how it's managed/if it can be managed, that way if the child develops PCOS they will know when it began.

Interesting Websites:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3125559/

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sexual/precocious.html

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/puberty/Pages/Delayed-Puberty.aspx

http://www.yourhormones.info/endocrine_conditions/delayed_puberty.aspx

http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/polycystic-ovary-syndrome.html#i