Puberty is Changing: Why It’s Starting Earlier, Moving Faster, and Demanding More From Us Than Ever

When I speak to parents, one of their strongest memories is going through puberty, an experience they recall happening in their early teens. But over the last two decades, puberty has shifted dramatically, and not just in timing. Nowadays, I am talking to parents of 2nd and 3rd graders who are hitting the developmental milestone earlier, with emotional and hormonal changes arriving earlier waaayyyy before their parent and even their teachers are expecting them. This isn’t just about “growing up faster;” it’s about biology colliding with their environment, increased stress, and modern life in ways that fundamentally reshape childhood.

A landmark study published in Child Development (Omary et al., 2025) used multimodal measurements including self-reports, salivary hormone testing, and longitudinal data to track puberty from ages 5 to 21. The researchers found girls began puberty earlier (around 8-13 years old) and experienced a faster tempo of puberty, while boys accelerated later (around 14-18 years old). Hormone levels like testosterone and DHEA (a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland and a precursor to other sex hormones like testosterone an estrogen) rose steadily, but the biological shifts often start well in advance to noticeable physical changes.

The natural next question is why? Two important things to consider include environmental endocrine disruptors such as BPA and phthalates found in plastics mimic natural hormones and accelerate the onset of puberty (Biro & Deardoff, 2013). Additionally, diet, sedentary lifestyles, and disrupted sleep patters further modify the natural progression of puberty (Harley et al., 2017).

Puberty Isn’t Just Physical – It’s Emotional and Neurological Too

 The hormonal surges of puberty dramatically impact the brain, particularly the regions controlling emotion and impulse regulation (Luna et al., 2015). Kids experience heightened emotions, increased risk-taking earlier than we would typically see in the teen years, and reduced executive functioning skills before their decision-making, reasoning and consequence weighing skills fully mature.

This neurological mismatch makes early puberty a mental health risk factor because early maturing girls are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and risky behaviors (Mendle et al., 2018). And late maturing boys often struggle with bullying, low confidence and self-esteem, and social isolation.

And all of these hormonal changes often precede any visible physical development. Parents and educators who focus solely on outward signs risk missing critical early warning signals such as emotional shifts, social withdrawal, irritability, body shame and a difference in body awareness.

5 Insights Every Adult Should Know About Puberty Today

1.      Environment matters as much as genetics. Early puberty is driven not just by biology, but by exposure to chemicals and stressors we fail to realize are influencing our kids.

2.      Early or late timing increases vulnerability. Adolescents who develop “off schedule” face significantly higher risks of emotional and behavioral problems. Not to mention looking older but maturity and cognitive ability that do not match their perceived age.

3.      Brain development lags behind emotional intensity. Even as bodies mature, the ability to regulate impulses, make decisions, and manage emotions develop much more slowly.

4.      Perception of maturity matters. Kids’ own feelings about how “different” they are, whether that is too early, too late, too awkward also shape their mental health outcomes.

5.      Family connection is the best protective factor. Parents who stay emotionally connected, normalize change by discussing what is happening, and relating their own puberty experiences who remain nonjudgemental provide the strongest bugger against mental health challenges associate with early puberty.

Here is what parents and educators can do right now:

-          Normalize discussions about puberty early – even before physical changes or signs appear.

-          Focus on emotional changes, not just physical ones

-          Discuss what it was like when you were going through puberty, so kids understand they aren’t “different”

-          Be aware of and limit exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals by reducing plastics, choosing fragrance-free products and cook fresh, organic foods

-          Recognize the moodiness, withdrawal, or anger as potential signs of underlying hormonal changes – not just “bad behavior”

-          Stay calm, curious, and open. Connection is always more powerful than control

Puberty today is hitting all part of life harder – body, brain, and environmental experience. When we understand the real forces shaping childhood, we can meet kids where they are – with information, patience, unwavering support, and a lot of times – a clear memory of the confusing time puberty was and how we wanted our parents to show up for us. This generation deserves nothing less.

References:

Biro, F. M., & Deardorff, J. (2013). Identifying opportunities for cancer prevention during preadolescence and adolescence: Puberty as a window of susceptibility. Pediatrics, 132(Supplement 1), S273–S281. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-0994E

Harley, K. G., Berger, K., Rauch, S., Kogut, K., Henn, B. C., Calafat, A. M., & Eskenazi, B. (2017). Association of prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and childhood BMI. Environmental Health Perspectives, 125(9), 097008.

Kaplowitz, P. (2008). Link between body fat and the timing of puberty. Pediatrics, 121(Supplement 3), S208–S217.

Luna, B., Marek, S., Larsen, B., Tervo-Clemmens, B., & Chahal, R. (2015). An integrative model of the maturation of cognitive control. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 38, 151–170.

Mendle, J., Turkheimer, E., & Emery, R. E. (2018). Detrimental Psychological Outcomes Associated With Pubertal Timing in Adolescent Girls. Developmental Psychology, 44(4), 1425–1440. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.44.4.1425

Omary, A., Curtis, M., Cheng, T. W., Mair, P., Shirtcliff, E. A., Barch, D. M., & Somerville, L. H. (2025). Multimodal Measurement of Pubertal Development: Stage, Timing, Tempo, and Hormones. Child Development, 96(3), 980–999. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14220