The New Puberty - by Louise Greenspan & Julianna Deardorff (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A generation ago, fewer than 5 percent of girls started puberty before the age of 8; today, that percentage has more than doubled. Early puberty is not just a matter of physical transformation--it's also deeply psychological, with a myriad of effects that can put a girl at higher risk for behavioral problems and long-term health challenges.

In this reassuring and empowering guide, Louise Greenspan, MD, and Julianna Deardorff, PhD--two leading experts on the root causes and potential consequences of early puberty in girls--deliver vital advice on how to prevent and manage early puberty. They explain surprising triggers--from excess body fat to hormone-mimicking chemicals to emotional stressors in a girl's home and family life--and offer highly practical strategies, including how to limit exposure to certain ingredients in personal care and household products, which foods to eat and which to avoid, ways to improve a child's sleep routine to promote healthy biology, and more.

The New Puberty is an engaging, urgently needed road map to helping young girls move forward with confidence, ensuring their future well-being.

Review Quotes

"The New Puberty is a truly important book. Without jumping to conclusions, this book shows concern without alarm, discusses the scientific factors that could be triggering it, and most important details the psychological consequences that girls might go through, and the support they need." --Po Bronson, co-author of NurtureShock

"The New Puberty is a treasure trove of information. In it, the authors take a deep dive into the psychology and biology of teen girls. It is destined to become a classic for parents and educators." --Louann Brizendine, MD, author of The Female Brain and founder/director of the Women's and Teen Girl's Mood and Hormone Clinic, UCSF

"Filled with surprising and fascinating research, as well as practical and empowering strategies, The New Puberty is a book every parent and health practitioner needs to read." --David Kessler, author of the New York Times bestselling The End of Overeating and former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration

"Increasingly parents are asking why their children are heading into puberty at a much younger age than they ever did. Combining their backgrounds as both scientists and parents, Greenspan and Deardorff give them all of the answers they are looking for. The New Puberty explains why our changing world has affected our kids' bodies--then guides parents on what they can do. Anyone who has a young girl will want to read this book!" --Cara Natterson, MD, pediatrician and New York Times bestselling author of The Care and Keeping of You 2

About the Author

Louise Greenspan, MD, and Julianna Deardorff, PhD, won the 2013 Community Breast Cancer Research Award from Zero Breast Cancer. They have contributed to Time, Science, New York Times Magazine, US News and World Report, Good Morning America, and NPR. They live in San Francisco.