Puberty

Overview
Our bodies are constantly changing. Puberty is the period of time when children rapidly change biologically, psychologically, socially and cognitively. In other words, girls start to grow into women and boys into men.

Puberty in females usually happens between the ages of 9 and 14. Male puberty usually occurs while he is 10 to 17 years of age. Both the male and female body will take on a different shape, and each will develop stronger sexual characteristics. The entire process can take anywhere from one to six years.

The process leads to adolescence. Adolescence is a transitional period between childhood and adulthood. Keep in mind that the changes of adolescence do not occur on a strict timeline, but follow a unique, individual path.

Adolescence can be a difficult time. New thoughts and feelings occur as the body changes at a rapid pace. Sometimes these physical and emotional changes don't happen at the same time. A girl or boy may mature emotionally before they do physically. The opposite is also true.

Common mental health concerns identified by adolescents are depression, stress, conflicts with parents and siblings and concerns about peers, relationships, school and today's world.

Parents of adolescents may also have concerns about their child during this period. Common concerns related to the adolescent’s behavior include risk-taking behavior, mood swings, drug experimentation, sexual activity, rebelliousness, wasting time, school problems and psychosomatic complaints. Communication between family members can help make this transition a much less stressful period.

Symptoms
The brain knows when the body is nearing sexual maturity. It releases chemicals called hormones, which are responsible for many different changes. For instance, the brain and pituitary gland release hormones that regulate the reproductive organs of both males and females. These hormones stimulate the ovaries of girls to produce hormones called estrogen and progesterone, and the testes of boys produce testosterone.

Growth hormones are also stimulated. They make the body grow larger, sometimes very quickly. Arms and legs get longer and internal body organs get larger. This "growth spurt" will probably last for two or three years. When this growth period is over, the adolescent will be at their adult height.

The body will also change in other ways. Weight gain will probably occur (especially in females), and overall body shape will change.

Girls usually become curvier during this time. They tend to gain weight on their hips, develop breasts and experience an increase in overall body fat. Finally, one to two years after a girl's breasts start to develop, the girl will experience her first menstrual period.

Boys, between the ages of 12 and 17, will see broader shoulders, stronger muscles and darker, more developed genitals covered with pubic hair. The larynx lengthens and the voice 'breaks' as it becomes deeper. Spontaneous erections may start to occur, as well as nocturnal emissions of sperm known as "wet dreams."

One of the first signs of puberty for both sexes is hair growth. Boys and girls begin to grow hair under their arms and pubic area. Boys will begin to grow hair on their faces. As puberty progresses, it will become thicker, darker and heavier.

Another part of puberty is acne. This is caused by the many hormones present during puberty. The puberty hormones also affect glands under the arms and cause body odor. This is normal for everyone, but it can be more intense for teens.

Hormones are also responsible for the emotional changes that take place during puberty. Feelings of confusion, emotional outbursts, sadness or rapid mood changes are normal. Extreme emotional sensitivity and hot tempers are also common. These changes simply mean that the body is developing correctly during puberty.

Ask Your Physician
If you are worried that you may be reaching puberty much later or earlier than your peers, just keep in mind that everyone matures at their own pace. Eventually we all catch up. However, if you are concerned about rapid weight gain, strong body odor or acne during puberty, talk it over with your health care provider or parent.