Late puberty in children doesn’t get nearly as much attention as early puberty does, but if your child hasn’t begun maturing by a certain age, especially when all their peers have begun developing, it can leave parents questioning why and wondering if there’s something wrong with their child’s development.
What is late puberty for boys?
Boys typically undergo puberty between the ages of 11 and 14. Most boys will have begun puberty by their 14th birthday. A small percentage (in the low single digits) will start puberty at 14 or 15. Anything 15 or later is considered late from a medical perspective and should be investigated.
What is late puberty for girls?
The average age for onset of puberty in girls is 10-11 years old, with a wider age range that spans everything from 7- to 13-years-old. Once again, the vast majority of girls will have started puberty by their 14th birthday. If a girl hasn’t started showing signs of puberty by her fourteenth birthday, this is considered late and should be investigated.
Causes of late puberty in children
Boys who are especially small tend to undergo puberty later than other children. It’s also possible high levels of estrogen-mimicking chemicals could be interfering with their development, though there’s been very little research on this matter, at least in humans. (There’s lots of evidence these chemicals disrupt masculine development in reptiles and other animals.)
Girls who are especially skinny and/or physically active are more likely to be late bloomers, as are those who are taller, since they spend more time growing up before they start filling out. Delayed maturation can also be a symptom of an eating disorder, so you’ll want to make sure you rule this out.
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