Identifying Areas of Needed Support for Young Girls with Central Precocious Puberty (CPP)

Abstract

We identified areas of needed support for young girls with Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) by conducting a secondary analysis of 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews with caregivers of girls diagnosed with idiopathic CPP. Questions elicited information about participants’ perceptions regarding the initial signs of CPP, the impacts of CPP on their child before and after treatment in terms of behavior, relationships, and physical development, treatment selection and administration processes, and the ways in which CPP was explained to their child. Results indicated that the signs, behaviors, and events associated with the psychosocial and physical impacts of CPP pertained to either: Key Theme #1) the decision to initiate medical treatment for CPP or Key Theme #2) the results of initiating medical treatment for CPP. We also found variance of impacts across Key Themes by age of symptom appearance. Findings suggest that the effects of CPP go beyond the initial physical and psychosocial symptoms of the condition, affecting a patient’s social and familial network, both before and after treatment has been initiated. The development of targeted strategies aimed at providing support and resources to families of girls diagnosed with CPP may alleviate the impacts of CPP on caregivers and patients alike.