女孩早熟问题原因及对策

女孩早熟问题原因及对策


作者：Kerry G

http://hubpages.com/hub/Early-Puberty-in-Girls

翻译：Hollowell
http://jul12th.blogspot.com/

Early puberty in girls is a growing problem in the United States and around the world.

女孩青春期较早出现是美国以及全世界都正在增加的问题。

In the mid-1800s, the average age of menarche (first menstrual period) was 17. By the late 1960's it had dropped to 12, with anywhere from 9 to about 16 being considered "normal." This change can be considered positive overall; it was mostly a result of improved nutrition, which also resulted in taller stature, longer lifespans, and better overall health.

在19世纪中期，女孩初潮（第一次月经）的平均年龄是17岁。到20世纪60年代末期，这一平均年龄降低到12岁，9岁到16岁之间都被视为“正常”。这一变化可以被认为是积极的。很多程度上这来自于营养的改善，并导致身高的增加，寿命的延长以及更好的综合健康健康。

However, in recent years, the onset of puberty in girls, especially breast and pubic hair development, has dropped even lower. Among Caucasian girls in the United States, 1 in 7 has now started developing breasts and public hair by the age of 8. The figure for African-American girls is 1 in 2. Many doctors and researchers have begun to revise downward the age at which puberty is considered "precocious" - to 7 for Caucasian girls and 6 for African Americans.

然而最近几年以来女孩的青春期进一步提前，显著的表现包括乳房和阴毛。在美国的高加索女孩(译者：基本上就是白人女孩)中，每7个女孩中就有一个从8岁开始发育乳房和阴毛，对于非裔美国 (译者：黑人，现在不说Black了) 女孩来说，这个比例是2：1。许多医生和学者现在已经开始修改青春期早发的年龄界定，高加索女孩为7岁，黑人女孩为6岁。

But can an eight year old sporting breasts really be considered "normal?" Early onset of puberty is associated with many health risks: both physical and psychological. I believe that the medical community and parents alike must do more to learn about the causes of precocious puberty and work both to reverse the trend towards younger and younger puberty and to provide support for girls who experience it.

但是我们是否能认为一个8岁就发育的乳房是正常的？青春期早发带来一系列健康风险，其中包含心理方面和生理方面的问题。我相信医学界和家庭都必须采取更多行动并了解青春期早发的原因，这样我们才能阻止这种不断提前趋势的发展，并帮助那些出现此类状况的女孩。

Risks of Early Puberty

青春期早发的风险：

Environmental and genetic factors play a role in increasing or decreasing these risks for both early and late developing girls. In general, however, girls who experience precocious puberty have a higher risk of:

环境和遗传上的因素都对青春期早发或者迟发的女孩起着增加或者减少风险的作用。通常来说，青春期早发的女孩存在以下较高的风险。

• Cancer. The earlier the age of first menarche, the greater a girl's risk of developing several types of cancer, particularly breast cancer, due mainly to greater lifetime exposure to the hormone estrogen.

• 癌症：初潮的年龄越早，女孩得某些癌症的风险也越大，尤其是乳腺癌，这主要是在于面对雌激素的时间更长。

• Menstrual and fertility problems. Increased lifetime exposure to estrogen is also associated with an increased risk of problems such as PMS, menstrual cramps, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, fibrocystic breasts, and more.

• 月经和生殖问题：随着面对雌激素的周期的增加，女孩面对PMS(月经前综合症)，痛经，子宫瘤，多囊卵巢综合症，子宫内膜异位，卵巢囊肿等。

• Stunted growth. Early puberty is often associated with advanced skeletal age, meaning that a 6 year old girl might have the bone structure of an 8 or 9 year old. Although they might initially be taller than slower-developing girls, girls who experience precocious puberty are likely to end up shorter, because after the initial growth spurt or spurts, puberty triggers the body to stop growing up and start filling out. Slower developing girls have more time to grow tall than the average girl who experiences precocious puberty.

• 发育受阻。青春期早发通常伴随着增加的骨骼年纪，例如一个6岁的女孩可能拥有一个8到9岁女孩的骨骼结构。尽管她们可能最初比同龄发育慢的女孩身高更高，但是青春期早发的女孩往往可能最终身高较低，这是因为经过最初的一窜或者几窜以后，身体将会停止增长同时开始横向发展。相比青春期提前出现的女孩，发育较慢的女孩有更多的时间长高。

• Lesser brain development. Unfortunately, puberty also eventually triggers the end of brain development. Again, this gives girls who experience early onset puberty less time to develop to their full physical potential before growth ceases.

• 较少的智力发展。不幸的是，青春期也会导致智力发展的结束。这也会导致那些发育提前的女孩有更少的时间来充分发展其智力潜能。

• Depression, anxiety, and stress. Being different is hard on both early and late developers, and combined with the mood swings associated with puberty, many girls who experience precocious puberty also have problems coping and may need extra emotional support from parents, teachers, and other trusted adults.

• 抑郁，焦虑和压力感。青春期早发和晚发都回造成个体与众不同，同时伴随着青春期带来的情绪波动，很多较早发育的女孩都回遇到棘手问题，她们需要来自家长，老师以及其他信任成年人的情感关怀。

• Sexual harassment. Sexual harassment of schoolchildren by other schoolchildren is a growing problem in the United States, and early developing girls are often targeted earlier and more frequently than other students, which can exacerbate depression, anxiety, and other mental problems.

• 性骚扰。来自学校其他孩子的性骚扰是一个美国日益严重的问题，青春期早发的女孩通常更早成为目标，并且更频繁的受到侵犯，这一事实可能加剧抑郁，焦虑和其他心理问题。

• Sexual precocity. Girls with precocious puberty are often treated as sexual beings earlier than other girls and may be targeted more by older boys and even adult men than slower developing girls. They also have to deal earlier with their own sexual feelings. Girls who experience early puberty may be more likely to engage in early sexual activity, increasing their risk of teenage pregnancy or STDs.

• 性早熟。青春期早发的女孩通常比其他女孩更早成为性对象，因此更容易被高年级男孩甚至成人作为目标。她们还更早地面对自己的生理感觉。青春期早发的女孩可能更早接触性行为，由此增加怀孕或者性病的风险。



Possible Causes of Early Puberty  青春期早发的可能原因

Note to parents: because early puberty can be caused by some serious conditions, including certain types of brain tumors and thyroid diseases, it is important to consult a doctor if you are concerned about your daughter's development, especially if you have no family history of early puberty.

家长需注意：由于青春期早发可能来自于一些严重的情况，包括某些类型的脑肿瘤和甲状腺疾病的，因此重要的是要咨询医生，如果您关心您的女儿的发展，特别是如果你没有家族病史的青春期早发 。

• Genetic factors. If a girl's mother, sisters, and other female relatives experienced early puberty, the chances are very strong she will too.

遗传因素。如果一个女孩的母亲，姐妹和其他女性亲属经历青春期早发，该女孩青春期早发的风险是大的。

• Obesity. As the rate of childhood obesity has exploded, so has the rate of precocious puberty. This is one of the most widely accepted theories about the rise in early puberty rates. Estrogen and leptin, two important hormones in puberty, are produced by fat cells, and many researchers believe puberty in girls is triggered when the body reaches a certain percentage of fat, in combination with other factors. This is one reason many competitive youth athletes experience later puberty than their peers.

肥胖。由于儿童肥胖率日益增加， 青春期早发的比率也在增长。这是有关青春期发比率上升的最广 为接受的理论之一。雌激素与瘦素，青春期的两个重要激素，是由脂肪细胞产生的，许多研究人员相信在一旦身体内脂肪达到一定比例， 同时伴随其它某些因素， 女孩的青春期即开始出现。这是很多青少年运动员比其同龄人更晚出现青春期的原因之一。

• Xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens are man-made compounds that mimic the behavior of natural estrogen in the body. They occur in everything from plastic baby bottles and food storage containers to shampoo, cosmetics, and sunscreen to pesticides and insecticides used in residential and agricultural pest control to growth hormones fed to the animals that produce our meat, milk and eggs to the water we bathe in. Some shampoos targeted at the African-American community even advertise their estrogen content. Many scientists believe xenoestrogens are a major contributing factor to the epidemic of precocious puberty; others believe they are only minor contributors.

Xenoestrogens。 Xenoestrogens 是一种人工合成的化合物，它能够模拟体内的天然雌激素的特性。很多产品都包含这种合成物，例如塑料婴儿奶瓶，食品储存容器，洗发香波，化妆品，防晒霜，以及家用和农用杀虫剂，此外它还被用于注入动物的增长激素，其目的是增加肉，牛奶和鸡蛋。甚至我们洗澡水里也包括这种合成物。 一些针对黑人社区销售的洗发水里甚至宣传这种洗发水里包括雌激素成分。许多科学家相信xenoestrogen是青春期早发的主要因素，另外一些科学家则认为它只是次要因素。



• Soy-based infant formula. Soy has one of the highest concentrations of phytoestrogens, which are naturally occurring plant estrogens. In adults, phytoestrogens are generally considered neutral or even beneficial, especially from dietary sources. However, some researchers feel that the concentration of phytoestrogen in soy infant formulas may reach dangerous levels because these formulas are the only or primary source of nourishment for so long. These researchers claim that infants fed soy formula receive the estrogen equivalent of five birth control pills per day (based on body weight). About 25% of infants in the United States are fed soy-based formulas.

基于大豆的婴儿配方：大豆含有最高浓度的植物雌激素，它是一种天然生成的植物性雌激素。这种植物雌激素对于成人来说一般认为是中性或者有益的，尤其对于节食而言。 然而很多研究者认为大豆婴儿 配方中的高浓度植物雌激素很可能已经达到有害的水平，因为它们成为婴儿在很长时间内唯一或者主要的营养来源。这些研究者提出食用大豆配方的婴儿每天摄入的雌激素相当于五粒避孕药(基于身体体重)。美国大约有25%的婴儿食用基于大豆的配方产品。

Sexualized television and media. In one controversial theory, some researchers claim that exposure to sexualized media may be contributing to the increase in cases of early puberty. It is clear that visual stimuli affect the brain and body chemistry. For example, a photograph of a delicious looking meal causes people to salivate. However, the degree to which media depictions of sex could affect brain and body chemistry is still extremely uncertain and highly controversial.

包含性内容的电视和媒体： 一个有争议的理论认为大量接触包含性内容的电视和媒体促进了青春期早发的出现。 显然视觉刺激影响头脑和身体的发展。例如一幅美味食品的图片会刺激人流口水，但是这一理论目前尚未被确定，仍然处于争议之中。

Reducing the Chances of Early Puberty

降低青春期早发的机会

Here are some steps you can take to reduce the chances your daughter will experience early puberty:

您可以采用下列步骤来减少自己女儿青春期早发的机会

Reduce exposure to xenoestrogens.

减少对xenoestrogens的接触

Although the involvement of xenoestrogens in early puberty remains controversial, I believe it is better to be safe than sorry. One of the most potent and notorious xenoestrogens, DDT, was originally considered to be completely safe, and remains legal in some parts of the world.

尽管xenoestrogens对青春期早发的影响目前也处于争议中，我相信宁可信其有不可信其无。 DDT是一种有效并且也是臭名昭著的xenoestrogens，它最初被认为是完全安全的， 目前在世界某些地方仍然可以合法使用。 [译者：wikipedia，DDT最早于1874年合成，1939年其杀虫效果被发现，1948年某科学家因为发现高效DDT得到诺贝尔奖，1962年，美国生物学家提出DDT对环境有害并且致癌。1972年美国禁止使用DDT农药 ]

Some compounds to avoid: 一些应当避免的物质

• Phthalates. Plasticizers used to make plastic softer and more flexible, found in a truly depressing range of products, from baby bottles to IV bags to children's toys to liquid cosmetics to pesticides to food storage containers to certain clothing and footwear items. Learn more about phthalates.

邻苯二甲酸盐 它能够让塑料更加柔软并且更有韧性，很多产品都包含这种物质， 例如婴儿瓶，一次性输液袋，儿童玩具，液体化妆品，杀虫剂，食品储藏容器， 某些服装和鞋子。

• Bisphenol A (BPA). Another compound found in a depressing variety of plastic (and non-plastic) products, including baby bottles and tin cans, and shown to leach into food and liquids at unsafe levels, especially when heated.

BPA 另一种广泛应用于塑料(以及非塑料)的物质，包括婴儿瓶，罐头盒。这种物质可以侵入食品和液体，比例超过安全水平， 加热的时候尤其危险。

• Parabens. Preservatives used in many cosmetics and toiletries. The most common include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.

对羟苯甲酸酯。主要用于化妆品和厕所用品。包括甲酯，尼泊金乙酯，尼泊金丙酯和尼泊金丁酯。

• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs). Flame retardants, now fortunately restricted.

PBB，阻燃剂，目前已禁止。

• DDT metabolites, especially DDE. Still found on some agricultural products.

DDT的代谢产物，特别是DDE。仍存在于一些农产品。



• DEHA. A plasticizer found in some cling wrap and other soft plastics.

增塑剂，仍然存在于一些保险包装和软塑料。

• BHT and BHA. Common food preservatives.常见于食物保存。

• Estradiol. Another name for estrogen. Most commonly found in shampoos marketed to African Americans, despite a proven link to early breast development.

雌二醇：雌激素的另一个名字。最常见于销售给非裔美国人的洗发水，尽管已经证明与早期乳腺癌的发展有关。

Breastfeed. 母乳喂养

Breastfeeding can be frustrating, time-consuming, and even quite painful at first, but in most cases it provides the best source of nutrition for infants. The longer you breastfeed the less exposure your child will have to the phytoestrogens in soy formulas and the xenoestrogens in (non-organic) dairy formulas, as well as compounds such as phthalates and bisphenol A that occur in many baby bottles. The many other benefits of breastfeeding include lower rates of obesity and allergies in breastfed babies.

喂奶可能会麻烦，花时间，最初还能会有疼痛感，但是大多数去情况下母乳喂养提供了婴儿所需营养的最佳来源。母乳喂养的时间越长， 婴儿接受大豆配方中植物性雌激素以及(非有机)奶类配方中雌激素的机会就越小。此外母乳喂养还可以避免许多婴儿奶瓶塑料中有害物质的吸收。其他一些益处包括较低的肥胖率和过敏率 。

Breastfeeding may increase the risk of early puberty if the mother has been exposed to PBBs or high levels of DDT, because both can pass to the infant through breast milk.

如果母亲摄入过量的PBB或者DDT ，母乳喂养可能会增加青春期早发的概率，这些化学合成物都可以通过母乳传递给婴儿。

Encourage regular moderate exercise.

鼓励经常适当锻炼

Regular exercise reduces the chance of early puberty in two ways. First, it greatly reduces the chances of obesity. Second, exercise contributes to maintaining healthy hormone balance by lowering estrogen levels. (Be aware that excessive exercise can lead to too little estrogen, which also causes health problems, including increasing the risk of osteoporosis.)

经常锻炼能够降低青春期早发的机会，原因有二：首先，它降低了肥胖的机会。其次，锻炼可以通过降低雌激素水平从而维持一个健康的荷尔蒙平衡。(过分的运动可能导致较低的雌激素水平，这同样会带来健康问题，包括增加骨质疏松症的危险)

Eat a balanced diet.

平衡膳食

A balanced diet with lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, and moderate quantities of animal products will help fight obesity and maintain healthy hormone balance as well. Eat organic foods as often as possible to reduce exposure to xenoestrogens through pesticides residues on food. The growth hormones fed to livestock are another major source of xenoestrogens. Eat organic, preferably grassfed, animal products whenever possible.

平衡膳食是指饮食包括各种谷物，新鲜水果和蔬菜，适量的肉类，这能够抵御肥胖并且维持健康的荷尔蒙水平。尽可能多的食用有机类食品，这样可以避免通过食物中残留的杀虫剂吸收xenoestrogens雌激素。注入禽畜类的生长激素是另一个雌激素的主要来源。好食用有机的(最好是食草的)肉类。

Limit Dairy Consumption

减少奶制品食用

New evidence suggests that it may be best to limit milk consumption in girls at risk for early puberty, due to the combination of natural and synthetic hormones found in milk. Fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese are believed to be safer than plain milk, and organic milk (again, preferably grassfed) is safer than conventional milk because it does not contain synthetic growth hormones.

新的证据表明减少牛奶的摄取能够降低女孩青春期早发的危险，因为牛奶中具有天然和合成的荷尔蒙。发酵的奶制品(例如酸奶和奶酪)比牛奶更安全。有机牛奶(最好是食草的)不含有合成的生长激素，因此比传统的牛奶更安全。

Monitor television and media consumption.

Although this is the most controversial possible cause of early puberty, again, better safe than sorry. Restricting age-inappropriate entertainment allows children to be children longer whether or not they are at risk of early puberty, and watching television WITH your children not only allows you to know what they're watching but also offers a prime opportunity to pass on your values through discussions about what you see onscreen and to get in some family bonding time as well. For more on smart media consumption, read Raising Smart Kids Without Throwing Out the TV.

注意电视和传媒的影响

尽管这是青春期早发的一个最具有争议的原因，但最好信之。限制与年龄不符的娱乐节目能够让延长儿童处于儿童期的时间。和您的孩子一起看电视不但令您知道自己孩子在观看什么节目，而且可以通过讨论电视节目将父母的观点传递给孩子，这也是增强家庭联系的一种方式。 [译者:我接触的一个美国家庭不安装有线电视，他们只通过天线接收几个电视台FOX,NBC,ABC,他们的解释是有线电视节目众多，有很多不适合孩子观看]