Adverse Childhood Experiences are Associated With the Timing of Puberty in Girls but Not in Boys.

PURPOSE

To examine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores from routine screenings in pediatric checkups and timing of puberty in a diverse cohort of adolescents.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of 52,573 pediatric members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California, an integrated healthcare delivery system. Exposure was the total ACEs score, determined using caregiver- and self-reported scores across all well-child visits, and categorized into 0, 1-3, 4-6, or 7-10 ACEs. Outcomes were age at menarche and pubertal onset, using physician-assessed Sexual Maturity Ratings.

RESULTS

Girls with ACEs had a substantially higher risk of earlier menarche and pubertal onset compared to those without ACEs. There were no associations between ACEs and boys' pubertal timing.

DISCUSSION

These results highlight the importance of screening for ACEs in a clinical setting to address adolescents' psychological well-being and healthy lifestyle habits, which in turn may prevent adverse health outcomes associated with early puberty.