Dr. Susan Bradley, a child psychiatrist at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, said such girls are more vulnerable to becoming involved with an older crowd. "They relate more to the interests of the older crowd ... but they may be catapulted into things that they do not have the maturity to deal with," she said.
If girls do not receive sufficient nurturing at home, they are more likely to seek affection from boys. "Girls who look more mature will be more likely to be perceived by others and to see themselves as attractive and appropriate romantic and sexual partners, opening the doors to dating and sexual activity," according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
The average girl in the United States matures around age 12; however, one in six mature before age 8, according to a groundbreaking study of 17,000 females in 1997.
Some experts think that early maturation is not necessarily a bad thing. Pediatrician Dr. Mark Palmert commented, "My bias is that I don't think this is something people should be concerned about. It could just be a sign of better health."
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Labels: girls, relationships, puberty
Posted By: Aspen Education Group