Nine-year-old Alexis Suttice looks like a typical kid. She loves to play ball with her brother and she has big plans for the future.

"When I grow up, I want to be an artist. I want to see my art in museums because I really love coloring and drawing and everything," she says.

But a few years ago, her mother noticed Alexis was growing up too fast.

"Alexis was about two years old and I noticed that her body started to develop in ways that it wouldn't normally start developing at that age," recalls Sharla Suttice.

Alexis was diagnosed with precocious puberty. A condition in which hormonal signs of puberty start earlier than normal. For boys, that's before age nine. For girls, before age eight.

"With girls you will see breast tissue as well as pubic hair and body odor," explains nurse practitioner Maura Lindenfeld.

So what's to blame? Some doctors think it's our environment. Others think it's because of products we use everyday. They say testosterone and estrogen can be found in everything from meats to cosmetics.

Endocrinologist Dr. Paul Thornton/Endocrinologist says, "The biggest issue a family faces is a young girl getting her period but not being emotionally ready to handle that."

Maura Lindenfeld adds, "They don't want to wear a bra. They don't want to be growing up."

For those families, there are drugs to stop puberty until the time is right.

"I feel she is not ready to become a woman, so I am just trying to see how things go," says Alexis's mom.

For now, Alexis is focusing on being a good big sister.