Puberty Just Shouldn't Start So Young

With Naomi's recent passage into puberty at 9, it made me think of a story I heard on NPR a few months ago.  It was about the increasing number of girls that are going through puberty at younger and younger ages.  The piece was titled Puberty Is Coming Earlier, But That Doesn't Mean Sex Ed Is. Children as young as 6 were interviewed as they discussed how they noticed the changes in their bodies and how they and their families responded.  Puberty at 6?  This was all discussed kind of matter-of-factly without an expression of alarm or concern. The only problem the story seemed to indicate was that sex education, which covers puberty, doesn’t start until 5^th or 6^th grade.   Too late for many girls in this generation.  So the answer, it seems is to start sex ed. sooner.  Maybe around kindergarten would be good.  A pediatric endocrinologist is interviewed in the piece and she discusses the importance of early sex education.  She adds that there may be something in the environment that is causing this change (Gee, ya think?)  but the girls don’t necessarily have a medical problem.
How long do we have to keep out collective heads up our asses before we say “There must be something going on in the environment for so many girls to be starting puberty so early and we need to do something about it!”  Looking at hormone disruptors, in our plastics, our food and our chemicals may be a no-brainer place to start.  You don’t have to be a scientist for this to make sense.  But no! We can’t ask the developers of modern convenience to take any heat.  That might hurt their feelings.   We’ll leave it to social services!  Earlier sex education! That’s the answer.  And when we find out that early puberty may result in some serious health complications later in life? (Yes, there is evidence that that puts a person at greater risk for breast cancer.)  We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it! In the meantime, let’s just educate young people that “being physically mature doesn't mean they're ready for adult relationships.”  (This was the pediatric endocrinologist’s advice. )  Is it pessimistic of me to think giving children these words of wisdom, isn’t going to help much?   At least they are not saying “We don’t know if girls are really going through puberty earlier or if the system is taking note of it more.”   I guess I can be grateful for that.