Early Period Preparation and Postivity

10-year-old girl Jessica is playing hopscotch with friends at school and suddenly sees blood flowing down her legs. Not knowing what it is, she panics and runs to the nurse’s office where she receives a pad and a brief talk about menstruation. As Jessica walks back to class, overwhelmed and embarrassment, her perceptions of her body and self begin to take shape.

Girls who are blindsided by menstruation often experience some level of immediate shock that may may influence negative perceptions of their periods for their lifetime. With early menstrual health education that includes empowerment messages, Jessica may have been psychologically prepared for this life transition.

Today, as girls are starting their periods at a younger age, it’s important we have the menstruation talk with our girls long before the time we think they’ll start their periods.

But, why are girls starting their period sooner in the first place? And what can we do to help girls prepare for this milestone?

In this article, we explore why menarche occurs at a younger age and how to prepare them for period positivity.

The Average Age of Menarche

Menarche is defined as the first menstrual period in a female adolescent. Menarche typically occurs between the ages of 10 and 16, with the average age of onset being 12.4 years.

In a study reported by the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, among participants born from 1950-1969, the average age at menarche was 12.5 years.

Among participants born from 2000-2005, the average age of menarche was 11.9 years.

"Precocious puberty" occurs at earlier ages, as early as age 8 in girls (and age 9 in boys.) Currently, about four in 10 girls and people assigned female at birth undergo precocious puberty. 

Why is Menarche Starting Earlier?

This phenomenon has prompted studies to determine the causes, and the following are a few conclusions.

Obesity

Studies point to childhood obesity as one cause of early onset of puberty and menarche, as well as a number of menstrual problems, including PMS, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), irregular bleeding and heavy bleeding.

Data from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) shows increases in obesity among children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 from 5.2 percent in the 1971-1974 survey period to 19.3 percent, or almost one in five children, in the 2017-2018 survey period.

Obesity affects our hormones and the female physiological system called the “hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis.”  The HPO axis is a tightly regulated system that controls female reproduction. Obesity can interfere with the relationship between our hormones and the HPO axis.

The hormones leptin, insulin, estrogens, androgens and growth hormone influence our appetite, metabolism and body fat distribution. Obesity leads to hormone levels that encourage the accumulation of body fat.

Stress

Early childhood stress can be a factor in early menarches. Stressful situations that correlate include parental divorce, long periods of father’s absence, living in an unsafe home or neighborhood, bullying or peer pressure, worry about school and other responsibilities.

A recent Danish study found that internationally adopted children were 15 to 20 times more likely to develop precocious puberty compared with the Danish reference group.

The study also determined sexual abuse is also a stressor associated with early menarche. Researchers believe that stress causes young girls’ bodies to " prioritize reproduction over long-term survival, resulting in menarche.

An article on Psychology Today lists several family dynamics including harsh parenting and mother’s mood disorders, that may speed up menarche due to "a seemingly precarious future." The presence of stepfathers or other unrelated adult men and exposure to their pheromones can influence it.

Plastics

Some chemicals found in plastics, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), have been linked to early puberty and menarche. That’s because some compounds behave like steroid hormones and can alter puberty timing.”

Phthalates are stabilizers and plasticizers found in household products, personal care products, food packaging, medical equipment, toys and building materials. 

A study in mice found that bisphenol A has an estrogenic effect. Girls with a body mass index in the >85th percentile (associated with obesity) and exposed to low levels of BPA had a 1.65 times increased likelihood of early menarche compared to normal-weight girls with low levels of phenols. 

The Problems and Risks of Early Menstruation

Puberty is a transitional period during which cognitive functions, a sense of self and moral values form. If she’s not psychologically or socially ready, a girl may have limited ability to cope, and studies show that this can result in emotional distress and negative self-perceptions.

Even worse, research finds that children who hit puberty before their peers are more likely to have mental health problems.

At a time when girls want most to fit in, they begin to compare themselves more negatively to their peers. Their confidence around their friends and family diminishes. They become more anxious. And they’re more likely to socialize with friends (often older) who engage in risky behaviors such as early sexual behavior and substance use. 

Early puberty is associated with depression. For many women, puberty seems to be a key period in the development of depression, and often this disorder may continue into adulthood.

It’s also associated with disruptive and anti-social behavior, such as stealing, lying to parents, shoplifting, being loud and unruly in public. These behaviors may continue, or even worsen, into adulthood.

Earlier onset of menses has been associated with body dissatisfaction, distorted body image, and eating disorders, like binge eating.

How We Can Help Prepare for Period Positivity

Karen Rudolph, PhD, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who performed a study on early puberty, suggests that, in general, we “bolster our children’s coping resources.” Her studies indicate the kids who can regulate their emotions and who can adapt to situations are less likely to experience early puberty depression.

So long before puberty, parents can help their child self-regulate and increase adaptability by addressing their emotional, physical, mental and social needs. There are literally 70,000 parenting books on Amazon that offer general parenting advice.

But if early menarche has taken your child - and you - by surprise, there is support. Following are suggestions to prepare our children for period positivity.

Mayo Clinic suggests counselling for the family. Counseling from a therapist or other professional who specializes in child psychology can help families better understand the feelings and issues that may come with precocious puberty. For answers to questions or for help finding a counselor, talk with a member of your child's health care team.

Nemours Kids Health recommendations

Give your child a simple, truthful explanation about what's happening. Explain that these changes are normal for older kids and teens, but that his or her body started developing a little too early. Keep your child informed about treatment and what to expect along the way.

Also watch for signs that teasing or other problems may be affecting your child emotionally. Common warning signs to discuss with your doctor include: poor grades, problems at school, loss of interest in daily activities or depression.

Support a healthy body image and strong self-esteem by offering praise for achievements, supporting your child’s interests.  

If she hasn’t learned menstrual health in school, then you can be her educator. Prepare in advance by having clear in your mind. This Nemours Kids Health article offers advice on menstrual education moms can provide while girls are growing up.

Red Diamond Sisters offers non-clinical insights

Red Diamond Sisters recommends ideas that work for anyone of any age to support positive self-image and body-image and greater appreciation of our natural physical functions.   

Ideally, these lifestyle practices are put into action long before menarche, but if time has slipped away, and she’s already starting her period, you can still help her feel positively about it and about herself. Here are a few suggestions.

Bolster her love of her body. Help your daughter appreciate her body by. It is a miraculous creation and capable of so many things that we don’t understand. Menstruation is mysterious, but it has a valuable purpose, and as a person with a period, she is treasured being on the planet. Help her focus on the blessings of her body, and steer her away from fixating on her periods. Help her appreciate all of her body and its functions, including her legs for walking, hands for creating, mouth for eating scrumptious foods. Her body is beautiful and she is a miracle.

Treat her first menstruation as an honorable life event, not a medical issue.

Your attitude toward her first period will influence her own feelings about it. Addressing her with a smile and a hug, and telling her this is a positive occasion and the beginning of an exciting life ahead can help her feel more optimistic about it.  Assure her that she is special, and that one day she will be the authority to help her friends when they start their period. A first moon ceremony can be offered later, after she has accepted her new phase of life. 

Spend time in nature and away from electronic devices.

Spending too much time on devices and social media can distort what is real and true, and it reduces the time girls need to get to know themselves. Being in nature gives girls an expanded view of the real world and of herself. Walking and hiking can help balance emotions and clear the mind. Sitting on the ground helps to connect with the earth and provides distraction-free self-reflection. The diverse beauty of trees, grass, creatures and sky can help put things into proper perspective.  Studies show being in nature reduces stress.

Help her discover her gifts/skills.  Guiding your daughter to acknowledge and develop her unique assets through social activities, such as teams, clubs, or organizations will help her see there’s so much more to life than her physical body. These activities can feed her soul and stimulate her joy. In social situations, she’ll commune with like-minded children in an environment in which they all thrive. Friendships develop from a common interests and compatible personalities, while the physical aspects of the individuals are less of a concern.   

Recognizing the link between nutrition and early menstruation. Consider this is a wake-up call to reduce processed, sugary foods, and increase whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and grains. Obesity and poor diet not only link to early menarche, but also emotional distress. Even if your daughter has already started her periods, starting a lifestyle now that includes a nutritious diet will support her overall physical health and emotional well-being, for her entire life. 

Conclusion

We don’t know exactly when our girls will start their periods, but we can begin to cultivate their appreciation of their body and whole self long before it happens. Preparation and period positivity are empowering and keys to a life of confidence and self-love. Red Diamond Sisters is here to help you however possible.

Author: Meloney Hudson