Chapter One:  The growth of adolescents

2.	Physical changes during puberty

Some common questions about physical changes during puberty
	I am 12 years old but I haven't started my period yet.  What should I do Are my breasts too small for me to start wearing a bra? My periods don't seem to follow any particular schedule.  What's wrong with me? I sometimes get an erection for no reason.  What's happening? Is my penis too small? Are wet dreams unhealthy?

2.1	The body's changes during puberty

Puberty is simply a phase that every one of us needs to go through in order to become an adult.  Generally speaking, girls enter puberty somewhere between the ages of 9 and 13, while boys enter puberty somewhere between 10 and 16.  Specifically, puberty is defined as the biological changes, caused by hormones, which mark the transition from childhood to adulthood. Since girls usually enter puberty about two years earlier than boys, during this time girls are often more mature than boys of the same age.  Most conspicuously, secondary sex characteristics such as increasing height and physical development are more obvious. Hormone changes cause a variety of changes in the body.  The shape of your body changes; your sex organs become mature; and your skin changes.  The following chart shows the approximate age of occurrence for secondary sex characteristics, or the changes that take place during puberty:

2.2	How girls' bodies change

The body grows.  Normal fat development occurs in the hips, buttocks, and breasts, giving your body a curvier shape.  Your arms, legs, hands and feet may grow faster than the rest of the body.  Meanwhile, the breasts begin to develop.  When the breasts first start to grow, it is not unusual for one breast to be larger than the other.  They normally even out before they reach their final size and shape. Body hair develops.  Soft hair begins to grow in the pubic area (the area between your legs), and may later become thicker or curlier.  You may also notice darker hair under your arms or on your legs.  Oil and sweat appear on the skin.  This is a result of your developing glands, which are growing alongside the other parts of your body.  These increases in oil and sweat mean that washing daily becomes more important in order to maintain hygiene.  You may also wish to use a deodorant or antiperspirant every day to keep odor and wetness under control. Your period begins.  The menstrual cycle, or period, usually begins between about 9 and 16 years of age.  However, it is very rare for the menstrual cycle to occur exactly on schedule, even well beyond the first year.  It is not necessarily a sign of abnormal health if your period seems to have no schedule at all during this early phase.

 

2.3	How boys' bodies change

The body grows.  Your shoulders will get broader, and you will gain weight as the overall size and shape of your body changes.  Your muscles become stronger, but your arms, legs, hands and feet may grow faster than the rest of your body.  As the larynx (voice box) grows, your voice will get deeper, sometimes gradually and sometimes erratically. Oil and sweat appear on the skin.  This is a result of your developing glands, which are growing alongside the other parts of your body.  These increases in oil and sweat mean that washing daily becomes more important in order to maintain hygiene.  You may also wish to use a deodorant or antiperspirant every day to keep odor and wetness under control. Body hair develops.  Hair will appear on your face, requiring more frequent shaves.  For hygiene reasons, it is not recommended to share a razor with family or friends, but instead to use your own personal razor or electric shaver.  Hair will also appear under your arms, on your legs, and in the pubic area (between the legs and above the penis). Reproductive organs mature.  Your penis and testicles will get larger, in a way which may or may not correspond to the rest of your body's development.  You may have erections more often, making the penis become stiff and hard, sometimes for no reason at all.  This is normal and is due to an increase in hormones.  Many boys become concerned about their penis size; however, the size of the penis has been proven to have nothing to do with sexual ability or manliness. Many boys find that their sheets or pajamas are wet when they wake up.  This is a nocturnal emission, more commonly known as a wet dream.  The phenomenon is a normal physical developmental process which gradually stops as you get older and hormones regulate themselves.

 

2.4	What these physical changes mean for you

These physical changes can have a major effect on your life, not only in the way you look but in your sleeping habits, your mindset, your emotions, and your relationships with the opposite sex.
	- In order to conserve energy for the enormous physical changes they undergo, you may frequently spend more time sleeping than you have since early childhood.  On average, teens need about 9 ½ hours of sleep every night. - Teenagers also often feel clumsy during their growth spurts.  During this time, not all of your body parts grow at the same rate, nor do they necessarily grow at a consistent rate. As your body tries to cope with this sudden growth, you may feel gangly, uncoordinated, or ungraceful.
- Many teens, especially girls, become overly sensitive about their weight.  When this is combined with other physical and psychological factors, they may even develop severe eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. - Teens who used to feel free to hug and kiss their parents may now shy away from this kind of public affection.  In fact, all demonstrations of affection towards the opposite sex, including that to your parents, may make you feel awkward or uncomfortable.  This happens as you are redefining your role as an adult instead of a child.

 

Dealing with your peers as your body grows While it is important to keep your body clean and neat, your inner self is just as important in developing healthy relationships with your peers.  While good looks will attract initial attention from your peers, your internal attributes, such as politeness, generosity, clear thinking, etc., are what will ultimately get your peers' respect and appreciation.  You can help yourself develop stronger friendships by learning social skills, by exploring what is happening around you, and by widening the topics of discussion with your peers to matters beyond physical appearance.  In turn, it is also vital to accept both your peers' strengths and weaknesses and your own.