Is my GD too young at 9 to start her periods?

Such a shame for her that she has been allowed to eat badly all this time and become so overweight. Given all the publicity and programmes on tv about poor diet it’s extraordinary to me that parents don’t limit the crisps chocolate etc . I know it’s sometimes hard but they don’t need to live on salad , just be sensible.

Plenty of girls start their period, or certainly start puberty, around 9.

If your GD is very difficult and your daughter is concerned she could have mental health problems, maybe it's worth following up with the GP for a chat, or a school counsellor? Maybe she is bothered by something going on at school?

Mum could stop buying unhealthy foods if she is concerned about her daughter's weight, maybe gradually swapping them out rather than abruptly changing things. Having said that, I know some kids have sensory issues with food and so I know it's not always that easy. Professional advice could be sought here too. I just would avoid making your gd's weight a big issue with her.

It's fairly common for puberty to start around the age of 9 - actual periods may not start until months or years later

Honestly,I think they have just spoiled her,she knows if she kicks up a fuss she wont have to eat healthy food.My husbands neice has always been this way and at 28 is back living with her parents having tantrums when something doesn't suit her and getting her own way.Now she's roped her poor granny into the mix by dumping all the contents of her flat in grans house.When anyone says anything to her we're told "dont say anything you'll upset her"!!
This wee girl is 9 .She needs to be brought back under her parents control ,in a couple of years she'll be beyond any help.She'll control their lives. In the interest not only of your GD but her family they need to step up and PARENT her.

The average age is 12, or so I read. But I think it goes largely on body size, so a bigger child will maybe start earlier.

Fat is just an adjective, by the way. I'm fat.

Periods are often triggered when a girl reaches a certain weight rather than a certain age. It is said to be seven and a half stone. Obviously no rules in medicine are absolute and there are always exceptions

Puberty can start at around nine, including periods, although it is unusual; I taught a girl that age and her behaviour was difficult.
Sorry, but I think your granddaughter's problems stem from her parents indulgence of her, particularly with food and it will be difficult to undo the damage this is causing. If you suggest anything, suggest a discussion with the Senco about behaviour and strategies to deal with it.
Blaming hormones is an easy excuse; I have a grandmother friend living with her daughter who ascribes the extremely precocious granddaughter's bad behaviour, and absolute determination to get her own way to the extent of taking over her grandmother's bedroom, to hormones.
She is seven.

My periods started when I was 10 and that's almost 60 years ago so I don't think it is particularly unusual for a 9 year old to be hormonal.

I was skinny by the way so nothing to do with weight.

Never quite understood this weight thing that happened to me. I was an active child but - around elevenish I guess - I started to discuss it with my lovely Mum that I was concerned about being somewhat rotund. She dismissed it with a 'don't worry, it's only puppy fat'. Happily, around thirteen, midst puberty and all that goes with it I turned into a pleasantly shapely teenager. Still wonder...... is there such a thing as puppy fat? Never hear mention of it nowadays. Perhaps it is currently politically incorrect?

My sister in law started at 9 60 years ago. It's not thst unusual.

I remember that my daughter started getting headaches on a monthly basis at 9 or 10. The doctor said that it was to do with her hormones gearing up to menstruation. And that was a good year or so before periods, so...

Actually, although it didn't apply in your case, worriedwell, weight is one of the 'trigger' factors in starting puberty. That is just a fact, and should be separated from the other concerns about OP's DGD.
And, as other replies say, it is very likely that she is starting puberty.

As for helping with her general health and weight, I think that you have to be guided by the parents, unless there is a clear safeguarding issue. School nurses can be very helpful, ad quite a few areas have good 'healthy eating' projects, but it would have to be parents who access those.
I am sure that when she is with you, you can encourage trying new things, but the overall situation has to rest with her parents. I do feel for you.

Things to try:
Fruit pieces dipped into melted chocolate (let her do it like a fondue)
Oven crisps you make yourself and add flavours.
Dips with breadsticks & raw veggies
Apologies if you've already tried these!

Sorry - adding to Kim19 - yes, I think that it does happen to a good few girls / young women (and to boys too, a little less noticeably).
But it is almost impossible to tell who is overweight and will stick that way, and who will burn it off as they grow. You can get an idea from other family members sometimes, but not always.

They definitely have a hormone surge around the age of 8. i also started my periods at primary school. As she is only 9 it's best to encourage healthy eating now as she grows as it will be easier to lose. I imagine the school my something if you don't anyway

Someone must be buying the huge amounts of chocolate, crisps, biscuits etc singingnutty and therein lies the problem.
I agree with Cafeaulait time to start a gradual change of diet for the whole family. Is it possible to get advice from a nutritionist on how to approach this. Its difficult I know when eating disorders are so prevalent especially in young girls.
Definitely time for the parents to step up.

Why do we have to look for things to excuse difficult behaviour from children ? Hormonal/mental health issues in a nine year old are not the norm so instead of trying to medicalise it, why not start with the simplest explanation - she’s realised that throwing a strop gets her her own way.

If she’s very overweight I’m surprised the school haven’t contacted the parents given the potential adverse effect on her health, so why pussyfoot around the contributing factors ?Mum needs to stop indulging her and be honest, without being unkind, about the fact that she’s overweight, and encourage her to take control and eat sensibly. Part of that encouragement should be to stop buying the unhealthy stuff that’s contributing to the weight gain and don’t provide alternatives to the meals prepared for her. It may sound unkind but you need to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later.

theworriedwell

My periods started when I was 10 and that's almost 60 years ago so I don't think it is particularly unusual for a 9 year old to be hormonal.

I was skinny by the way so nothing to do with weight.

Exactly the same here, except that it was forty years ago.
I’ve taught that age range of girls for years, and nine is not that common, but it isn’t unusual either.
I have not noticed or heard anecdotally that weight is a factor.

Yes periods can start at age 9 , so don't think it's that unusual. Your GD may not be stroppy over food just because her parents indulge her unhealthy diet - although I wouldn't dismiss that. There may be other issues - ADHD or autism. So many children are diognosed with these or similar conditions. It's always been there , but is now recognized - thank goodness! If your daughter does have a condition , then she will not respond to parental rules as other children do. This makes family life extremely difficult and parents are living in extreme stress. On the other hand it may be that your GD is simply anxious about her weight but will not have the maturity to assess the situation and act appropriately. If this is the situation then action from parents is essential. In either case parents need help to support their daughter, try and talk to Mum / Dad without being judgmental. I can 'see' you are very concerned and want to help in any way you can . It is very difficult sometimes to talk to adult children about their children - they are naturally defensive! Encouraging the parents to seek professional help . A visit / call to the GP is obviously a good first step. I wish you all good luck .

I was 12 when I had my first period and my daughters were around the same age. They both knew and understood what to expect and I would have been concerned had it happened sooner, when they were in junior school. I do think younger girls might not understand.
The OP DGD doesn't have a healthy relationship with food by the looks of things and I'm sorry, but that's the parents fault. Do they not understand that the excess weight this child is carrying will have a severe detrimental affect on her health in general. Her major organs and joints will all suffer in the long run and she is in danger of developing Diabetes.

There is nothing unusual in girls starting their periods at 9.

If she is going to start soon, there will be other signs her mother will have noticed: breasts beginning to develop, body hair.

Whether or not these signs are present, now would be a very good time for her mother to make quite sure the girl knows about periods, and the other changes that will occur in her body soon.

A lot of today's mothers think girls learn all about it at school - some schools do cover the subject carefully, but in my experience as a teacher there are still eleven year old girls who haven't understood, or haven't been told anything.

Have a quiet word with DD or DIL - I can't see from your post which it is, and make sure she has discussed sex, periods, where babies come from and what boys get up to with her daughter.

Encourage the child's mother to tackle the issue of weight and diet.

A nine year old girl will be teased at school for being what her school-mates will have no hesitiation in calling "fat"

Your GD may be hormonal, or have mental health issues, may be on the spectrum, or she could just need a bit of parenting before this gets out of control. I assume that at 9 she is not doing the household shopping or cooking so someone else is buying all the addictive crap she is eating, someone else is pandering to her fussy diet. I do get exasperated when people look for a medical reason for what is caused by bad diet. If your GD is about to start her periods at 9, it is even more important that she has a better diet.

I was an overweight child and had a miserable time, NH glasses as well. I remember the teacher lending me some long john style knickers to wear on sports day to stop chub rub!

I hope your DGD can go dancing or swimming regularly and lose her weight.

As you tell us ‘lots of people’ in your family are overweight Granny666 she possibly feels this is quite normal ‘to be big’.

Sorry. Apologies. Wrong name!
That was to the OP - singingnutty. My head is stuffed with cotton wool right now.