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CONTACT: camille@gallopade.com

Sex Ed Author Angry About Lack of Concern Over Early Onset Puberty

(Peachtree City, GA)--Author Carole Marsh came to sex education reluctantly more than 20 years ago when AIDS came into the public's mind and she was begged by teachers for materials for young readers. "But even back then," she laments, regarding research for her popular SMART SEX STUFF FOR KIDS 7-17, "research showed there were issues with some girls showing evidence of early puberty—often getting their periods as young as age 7!"

Marsh is upset that recent news reports of this issue will just as quickly disappear as it surfaced. "We should not consider early puberty a fait accompli," the author complains. "The hand waving that it might be related to childhood obesity, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, possibly chemicals or ambient estrogen in our water is not the same as embarking on immediate research to determine just which causes are bringing on this effect. Everything pales in consideration of the fact that early puberty may lead to future problems for girls, including a possible increase in breast cancer."

The author asks, "Where is the outrage over this? This should be something that pediatricians, the rest of the medical community, and others should be 'on the case' about. It is unconscionable that we would sit back and just consider this trend as the new puberty, instead of coming up with concrete recommendations to help parents be aware, knowledgeable, and have actual things to do, watch for, change, and mostly, insist, that this issue is addressed. "I'm just a writer, but if I knew this 20 years ago, why has the medical community just watched these changes evolve?

"Puberty is natural," says Marsh, "but not at age seven. Put yourself in a seven-year-old girl's physical and emotional place and see if you would consider this an emergency issue. I hope that pediatricians, mothers, fathers, and others will push for deeper and more immediate consideration of this problem, its exact causes, and what can be done.

"I know that for more than 20 years, sex ed in America has a tough sell. We still just don't want to talk about it. But this is a health crisis. The time to act is yesterday, but now would be more effective than later. Let's insist!"

Editor: Carole Marsh is the author of a highly praised Smart Sex Stuff for Kids series of books, founder and CEO of Gallopade International, a children's educational publisher, and a Georgia Author of the Year for Young Readers.



		FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: camille@gallopade.com or go to www.smartsexstuffforkids.com Sex Ed Author Angry About Lack of Concern Over Early Onset Puberty (Peachtree City, GA)--Author Carole Marsh came to sex education reluctantly more than 20 years ago when AIDS came into the public's mind and she was begged by teachers for materials for young readers. "But even back then," she laments, regarding research for her popular SMART SEX STUFF FOR KIDS 7-17, "research showed there were issues with some girls showing evidence of early puberty—often getting their periods as young as age 7!" Marsh is upset that recent news reports of this issue will just as quickly disappear as it surfaced. "We should not consider early puberty a fait accompli," the author complains. "The hand waving that it might be related to childhood obesity, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, possibly chemicals or ambient estrogen in our water is not the same as embarking on immediate research to determine just which causes are bringing on this effect. Everything pales in consideration of the fact that early puberty may lead to future problems for girls, including a possible increase in breast cancer." The author asks, "Where is the outrage over this? This should be something that pediatricians, the rest of the medical community, and others should be 'on the case' about. It is unconscionable that we would sit back and just consider this trend as the new puberty, instead of coming up with concrete recommendations to help parents be aware, knowledgeable, and have actual things to do, watch for, change, and mostly, insist, that this issue is addressed. "I'm just a writer, but if I knew this 20 years ago, why has the medical community just watched these changes evolve? "Puberty is natural," says Marsh, "but not at age seven. Put yourself in a seven-year-old girl's physical and emotional place and see if you would consider this an emergency issue. I hope that pediatricians, mothers, fathers, and others will push for deeper and more immediate consideration of this problem, its exact causes, and what can be done. "I know that for more than 20 years, sex ed in America has a tough sell. We still just don't want to talk about it. But this is a health crisis. The time to act is yesterday, but now would be more effective than later. Let's insist!" ## Editor: Carole Marsh is the author of a highly praised Smart Sex Stuff for Kids series of books, founder and CEO of Gallopade International, a children's educational publisher, and a Georgia Author of the Year for Young Readers.

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