top of page

Children in single child homes, tend to enter puberty earlier.

Updated: Nov 2


It would appear that only-children experience the onset of puberty early, which is likely to result in the rapid transmission of the genes within the family.


Child practice gymnastic. Illustration photo
Child practice gymnastic. Illustration photo

The onset of puberty is substantially earlier in children who are only children than in children who have biological siblings. According to the findings of a comprehensive study conducted by Aarhus University, the composition of a family may have an effect on the development of children.


"When compared to children who have full siblings, girls who are only children enter puberty on average 5.5 months earlier, and boys enter puberty 4.5 months earlier," explains Anne Gaml-Sørensen, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Public Health at Aarhus University and the principal author of the study.


"We did not expect such a significant trend among only children, regardless of whether the parents live together or not," according to the researcher.


Other findings from the study indicate that children who had half-siblings or step-siblings reached puberty at an earlier age.


Several hypotheses that could be pursued


It took girls who had half-siblings or step-siblings more than two months longer to reach puberty than other girls. When compared to youngsters who had full siblings, boys who shared the same sibling connection started puberty between 1.2 and 1.4 months earlier.

There are a number of hypotheses that the researchers who conducted this study have developed in order to explain the connection between the onset of puberty and the connections between siblings.


There is a possibility that the genetic link between siblings can have an effect on the development of children. Investing in each other's health can be an evolutionary advantage for biological siblings, according to Professor Cecilie Ramlau-Hansen. This is because it allows the other person to pass on shared genes to the next generation. Both the Danish birth cohort and the puberty study, which is one of the largest in the world, are under her direction. She is the leader of the Danish birth cohort. There is less of a genetic connection between half-siblings or step-siblings than traditional siblings. As a result, the professor is of the opinion that it may be far more important from a scientific standpoint to protect one's own genes by beginning puberty sooner.


The research was conducted using information from over ten thousand children. After they reached the age of 11, they were monitored until they reached puberty. around the course of several decades, the average age at which children reach puberty has been decreasing all around the world.


Due to the fact that this is linked to a variety of hazards, including mental diseases such as anxiety and depression, as well as a decline in mental health, it may be essential to have an understanding of the factors that contribute to it. In addition, there is a possibility of having an early sexual debut and being abused, in addition to the danger of being overweight and developing cardiovascular diseases.

bottom of page