During puberty, it's not uncommon for individual breasts to develop 'at their own pace'! But is a painful nipple reason to seek medical help? Family GP, Dr Sue Morrison, advises.

Raisingkids member's problem
My 10 yr-old daughter has one inflamed and sore nipple and the same breast is developing noticeably. Is this normal? Will the other breast 'catch up' or should I take her to a doctor? She has no other signs of puberty yet.

Dr Morrison's advice
10 is the lower end of the normal range for the onset of puberty in girls and breast growth is one of the earliest signs (girls tend to take after their mothers in age of onset). Breasts usually enlarge and develop at the same rate but there can be a bit of mismatch in the early days.

However, if one nipple is sore and inflamed, an irritation or even infection might have caused redness and swelling. This could be due to a mild fungus rather like thrush and would get better with Clotrimazole cream that can be bought over the counter. An infection might need antibiotic cream or tablets. If swelling and discomfort persist beyond a couple of weeks, it would be good to check things out with a GP.

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