Q: My eight years old daughter has started getting periods. She is too small to handle these things. We have consulted a doctor, who took an x-ray of her left wrist and some blood tests and also suggested an MRI. The doctor has prescribed Decapeptyl depot to stop her periods.

A:She is suffering from precocious puberty, which is treatable. Once the cause is established, she will first need to be tested by scan/MRI/CT to rule out tumour in ovary/adrenal/brain. It may be a hormone imbalance. The treatment may need endocrinologist and obster along with support and counselling about care, growth and development. It is well managed, depending on cause. The dose may need to be followed up, as side effects of bone depletion or mood changes may occur, along with need for some addback oestrogen therapy as and when needed, or levels get low. she will need to be on follow up till regular menses established after age 13 years. Her menses will be suppressed.