"Unadulterated Me" wrote in message
...

I don't think Shirley said she had started her period, only that her
breasts were growing and her physique was changing, that can start as
early as 8, though 8 is on the early side, from experience with my
daughters and their friends those that started developing around 9
tended to have their period by 11. Interestingly those girls are very
short and stocky/dumpy type physiques, not sure if early development
stunts the growth or if a stockier type body shape leads it's self to
earlier puberty. I know the earlier you get your period the shorter you
will be as once it starts upward growth is slowed considerably (why put
energy into going up when you need it for padding and filling) but not
sure if their is a correlation with simply pubescent development.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_356.html

Well, the Dr. Greene page indicates that height-growth in girls pretty much
stops at puberty. Mind you, I remember my breasts beginning to grow around
age 12, I didn't start my period until I was 13, and I'm 4'10". I'm afraid
to think how short I might have been if I'd started puberty younger!

--angela