The first step in treating CPP is performing a series of medical tests to determine whether your child has CPP and, if so, what kind. Some children have “secondary” CPP—that is, something other than the pituitary gland is causing the signs of puberty. For “secondary” CPP, the underlying problem can be diagnosed and treated, which generally causes the progression of early puberty associated with CPP to stop. If your child has “true” CPP—meaning the early puberty isn’t caused by something else—your doctor will recommend appropriate treatment.
The diagnostic tests begin with a complete medical history and a physical examination. Your child may be given some or all of the following tests:
- Hand/wrist x-rays to reveal whether the bones have matured early
- Blood tests to check the levels of different hormones
- GnRH stimulation test to determine if the pituitary hormones are at pubertal levels
- Pelvic and adrenal ultrasound to assess the size of ovaries, testicles, adrenals
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer-assisted tomography (CAT) scans of the head to determine whether the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are normal
