noun, Psychiatry. 1. an inability to speak, due to a physical defect, conscious refusal, or psychogenic inhibition. Origin of mutism.
1 A new study finds girls are developing breasts earlier than ever before; American boys and girls are entering puberty about five years younger than they did in 1920.
The link between weight and puberty appears to begin early, too. A University of Michigan study, which followed 354 girls from their 3rd birthdays through sixth grade, found that higher body fat at age 3 was associated with earlier breast development.he increase was greatest among whites, though, on average, African-American girls, followed by Hispanic girls, develop earliest. At age 7, 10.4 percent of white, 23.4 percent of black and 14.9 percent of Hispanic girls had enough breast development to be considered at the onset of puberty.