Is a 20-month-old girl with larger than normal breasts experiencing early puberty?

My 20-month-old baby weighs 11kg, is 78cm tall, and is a girl. Since birth, the family has noticed that her breasts are larger than normal babies. After going to the doctor, the doctor concluded that there was no problem, just said it was fatty tissue. However, my family is worried that my baby is at risk of early puberty. I hope the doctors can give me more advice about my baby's case!

Báo Đồng Nai•18/04/2025

(Ms. Xuan Tram, residing in Trang Bom district)

Doctor replied:

Hello!

The fact that a 20-month-old girl has larger breasts than other children of the same age is a problem that worries many families. However, as doctors have concluded that this is just fatty tissue and there are no abnormal signs, this is not a sign of early puberty.

Precocious puberty is when a girl begins to develop sexual characteristics (such as breast development, pubic hair growth, changes in body odor, unusually rapid growth in height, or the onset of menstruation) before the age of 8. Children between the ages of 1 and 2 may experience breast development due to hormones from the mother still in the body. This is usually temporary and not related to precocious puberty. However, for peace of mind, families can continue to monitor the signs of precocious puberty as above during their child's development.

If there are any suspicious signs, take your child to a pediatric endocrinologist for further testing. During this time, the family should maintain a healthy diet, avoid foods containing hormones (such as processed foods, fast foods) and ensure the child has a suitable active lifestyle.

Hope the above information helps you feel more secure and know how to monitor your children!

Specialist Doctor 1 Mai Xuan Tam,

Department of Pediatrics, Au Co Hospital