Hormonal Tween?

[Phoebe]

I am trying to figure out what puberty looks like for a young girl. I developed late and don't remember mood swings as a kid. My mom may remember differently. My 11.5 yo, soon-to-be 6th grader is acting different than her normal self. She is moody, withdrawn, and very tired. She keeps saying she wants to relax and needs alone time much more than usual. Could this be hormones or a situational depression? It started about 3 or 4 weeks ago. Some issues she is having is a pulled hamstring and a broken finger which are impeding her ability to practice gymnastics normally. Both injuries happened outside of the gym doing random things. Her summer goals for gymnastics are basically crushed. Plus her new coach is nimrod. I get that disappointment. She just graduated from elementary school which could be an emotional adjustment for her. But it feels like more than that. Besides her exhaustion from 15 hours of practice per week, she has been a bitch. When I call her on her mood, she makes up an excuse like she didn't want to run errands with me or that she is so tired from getting up early for band. I made her take naps when she says this. She is getting more sleep than she did in the most of the school year. The thing that baffles me the most is that she appears so tired. She normally functions really well. Any suggestions for me? I am giving her space and she is very good at articulating her needs. She told me to quit worrying about her because she is grown woman. Haha. Is exhaustion a symptom of puberty?

[Thirteen]

Not sure if exhaustion is a symptom of puberty, but it was a symptom for me about my impending cycle.

Talking to her doctor/getting a referral to a counselor couldn't hurt, either, if you suspect depression.

I started early (11).


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[Pollyanna]

Hmmm, it could be. Dd11 just started her period two weeks ago and dd19 started when she was 12. Neither were more tired but they certainly had some mood swings and interestingly enough, hot flashes. If she is still tired after a week I would take her in for a check up.

[HouseofWool]

I am wondering about thyroid levels. I would consider taking her in if the exhaustion doesn't improve.

[L.Jane]

I am wondering about thyroid levels. I would consider taking her in if the exhaustion doesn't improve.

This. Or Anemia. My sister got extremely tired and after getting it checked out, she was found to be anemic. It was a fairly easy fix.

[Sheherezade]

It could very well be hormones, but I'd check out the other options first. Also, given her injury and being sidelined from her sport, I'd wonder about the depression. A high school kid here suffered from a pretty intense depression after injuring his arm and being pulled out of baseball. His parents were baffled -- but he took it hard. So, you never know.

My daughter is tired a lot at 14. They need more sleep in puberty than they did as a younger child - and their sleep cycle shifts to a later bedtime/later rising pattern (that's science, not just bad habits!). If she is just maturing, maybe she needs to readjust her sleep times. Rest is ALWAYS a good thing in my book!

Hope she feels better.

[Curegirl]

I started my period at 11 also...I'd take her in and like the others said, check out any physical symptoms and then a counselor if no dice. It's so hard being a pre-teen/teen these days

[v-girl]

Mine were tired before they started.

[Ladybug]

Exhaustion is not mentioned in the puberty symtpoms we talked about in health class this year. Usually it's overscheduled kids, but if she's not participating in gymnastics I would start scratching my head a bit. She tired when she wakes up in the morning? Is she not sleeping well during the night?

[ladymoreta]

Can you get away with just the two of you for a little while? Since it started so suddenly, I'd be more suspicious of something that's going on. Could she be having problems with a friend or classmate that's keeping her awake at night? Boy problems? She probably wouldn't just volunteer that kind of information immediately, but if you are hanging out for a few hours talking about general things, maybe she'll open up? I was one of those kids who would lie awake all night rehashing things that weren't going well, so that throws a flag for me.

[peggyfromwastate]

Moodiness is to be expected-- my dd11 started about a year ago (just after turning 11) and really turned up her anxious/picky/touchy moody behavior. She went from being fairly easy to deal with to constantly having a complaint, whine about a sibling, or exaggerated reaction to me asking her to do something. It's been frustrating.

Energy wise-- my girls didn't have changes, just some cramps. Nothing Motrin couldn't handle. Dd11 still keeps her full schedule of sports (even more since turning 11-- about 10 hours per week of swimming) but I know she feels more overwhelmed by the increased workload of 6th grade and the social awareness that her peers who don't do sports have "so much free time." She gets annoyed and resentful about it-- but not enough to want to give up swim and not enough to make her depressed.

My Dd1 had huge huge struggles in middle school. I would get the counseling bc at this age it's tough. It just is. I know counseling is time consuming and just another thing to do--- but she is on the cusp of major changes with middle school and if she's already feeling a little down it wouldn't hurt for her to have a safe place to talk it out. My dd1 just wrote a beautiful essay describing her social struggles in middle school and the ramifications these have on her self image and her idea of a healthy relationship. I have no idea how she made it out of there as intact as she is... But I really wish I'd gotten some help for her then. It's a big regret of mine.

Hugs---

Trust your mommy sense above all!!!

[MsSassyBaskets]

I would say exhaustion is DEFINITELY a symptom of puberty/generally being a teenager. As I remember, I got tall, bitchy and tired before I ever got my period! I went from being an early riser to being exhausted from the moment my alarm went off in the morning. I'm still kind of like that, haha... That said, there are so many possible factors at play that it wouldn't hurt to get her checked out.