i hear you my daugther is 10 still too young to be going  through these changes i feel but i found a really good book called"Whats happening to me!" I keep it handy for when she comes to me for answers without  having to go into to MUCH information that my scare her..it is easy to read and has cartoon drawings when make it a little more relaxing(i think for me more than her) the question you asked are all answered in this book the cycle shouldn"t start for another 2 years when you notice hair and breasts..hope this helps some..

I have to share with you my story.  One day at school, when I was 8 years old, I was reaching for something on the far end of the desk but when my body/chest touched the table, something hurt. I came home that day and told my grandmother (she raised me) about it. A few days later we saw a pediatrician and the doctor said I was developing breasts. My grandmother was shocked, but the doctor reassured her that it was fine. I remember this day like it was only yesterday.  I started my period at 12 years old.

Children are going through puberty much earlier and this is pretty much across the world.

I had only just turned 10 when I got my first period (33 years ago!) and I found it very frightening (I thought I was bleeding to death), especially as I was in a cross country race when it happened. I found it comforting when my Dad got me a book about puberty, etc and my parents also explained that it was a normal thing for girls to go through as they became 'grown-up". My Dad was quick to stress that getting my period didn't mean I was an adult, but that this was part of growing up and that it happened to all girls, but just not at the same ages. My Dad was a Doctor, so he also loaned me his textbooks on 'the birds and the bees" but I wouldn't recommend anything that confronting for your daughter as she is only 8. I did find it difficult at school when I had my period, because no-one my age had them and no teacher would have expected a girl of 10 to have her periods, so I didn't tell the teacher and started getting in trouble for refusing to participate during PE classes (swimming, or asked to wear leotards for gym, etc) until my Dad went and saw the principal and asked him to tell my teachers about it discretely. This helped avoid me enduring any embarrassment or teasing in class as the teacher stopped demanded why I was not changing into my togs! Not sure if it is the same for others, but I did have some breast development (not very much but they were there!), then I got my period BEFORE I developed the other physical signs of puberty. I would strongly suggest taking your daughter to the doctor just to get her checked out and to confirm exactly what is happening to her (if anything), but I think it is very important to chat to her first and mention the possibility of puberty to her and tell her you would like to take her for a check up to see if it is puberty. That way she won't feel any fear going to the doctor or imagine the worst. If it is definitely the onset of puberty, then sit her down and fully explain what happens. If you think she is mature enough to benefit from reading about the bare facts, then perhaps look around and find an appropriate book (suited to her age/emotional maturity) that would cover any questions she may have, but might be too embarrassed  or not know enough to ask about. If she has indeed reached puberty, then it's not too early to tell her about 'the birds and the bees". I know it's awful to think about as she is only 8, but kids seem to be not only maturing earlier, but getting involved in sexual relationships much younger too, so if she is physically maturing, she is also going to go through the emotional rollercoaster that goes with it. Obviously, if she doesn't understand what is happening to her body, there is a risk she may fall pregnant in the future so arming her with all the facts is the best protection she can have at her age and will help her in the future when she does reach that age of sexual awareness. I know that I found it "icky" to think about sex/reproduction when I was 10, but by the time I was 14, girls and boys at school, the same age as me (some even younger) were experimenting with sex, some got pregnant too,  but I made sure that I didn't do what they were doing. Why? Because I knew what could happen, thanks to my parents frankness and honesty. It also helped having read my Dads textbooks on sexually transmitted diseases, which was enough to make anyone think twice! Don't panic or let her know you are concerned, just talk to your daughter and then confirm what it is with a medical checkup. If it isn't the onset of puberty, then at least your GP can try and find out what it is causing the sweating/body odor, which seems very unusual for an 8 year old girl, but would cause her distress if she is being teased. Peers can be heartless at that age! A very close friend of mine used to sweat profusely, even as a child, and when she was 21, she had her sweat glands surgically removed. She had some sort of disorder where the sweat glands would work overtime...and although men can sweat and have body odor without incurring any social problems, however, women who do, unfortunately get attention for all the wrong reasons. Hope this comment helped you and I hope it all turns out okay for your daughter.

My baby sister was 10 when she got her period, and her best friend was 7 and at 10 had a D size breast. (sadly hers was due to her given steriods for her astma) but they can start anywhere from 7 to 17 my SIL was 15. 

good luck with it

Having boys I don't know much about girls, but some links I found interesting:

5 stages of puberty
http://www.puberty101.com/p_pubgirls.shtml

Girls puberty
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/teenagehealth/becomewoman.htm

well i know i got my period when i was 10 and started wearing a training bra, and that was 14 years ago. since then girls have started getting their periods sooner along with everything else, like the hair, smelliness and the boobs, so 8 doesn't seem so early, she probably is a bit of an early bloomer still though. taking her to the docs to see what he thinks woudln't hurt though, just incase it is something.

These days, children, & especially girls, do develop faster than kids used to. 8 years old does seem young, but is quite common. My eldest started when she was about 9, she started her period a couple of months after turning 11. My youngest is 8 & she gets smelly & has pubic hair, I make sure she uses deodorant & have taught her how to wash herself really well. I know that sounds obvious, how to wash, but we all know how quick & easy kids want to do things. What I mean is, make sure she soaps up well under the arms.

My eldest was the same when younger, would get very smelly, I would buy her moist wipes to use through the day just to freshen up. She was difficult with deodorant as most irritated her. I found spray deodorants most effective, it's just a matter of finding one that suits your child, ie, one that doesn't irritate her.

Don't panic, hun, she'll be fine.

hello

my little girl is 7 and will be 8 in august,she has the same problem,i went to my doctor and he sent me to crumlin children's hospital in dublin in ireland. with her to get checked,they done a xray off her wrist,they can tell by the bone in the wrist when the child will reach puberty, they also took blood tests and told me it could be a problem with her glans.i am stil awaiting the result.

All I can say is that I was 11 when I started, still in year 6, and that was young 20 years ago.  But I understand that for some reason the average age has become earlier.  I would talk to your dr but it could be quite difficult for your daughter if she is the only one in her year (I'm speaking from experience) and will require a lot of tact to deal with it.  Good luck!

PS does she have older friends or older female siblings?