Puberty in girls. When does puberty begin in girls and boys

08.08.2019

The whole life of a person can be divided into certain periods of the development of the organism, which have their own characteristics.

In the article, you will learn about human development during puberty, as well as what parents need to pay attention to when their children are at this age.

Characteristics of puberty

Puberty (also puberty) is the time of development of the human body from the onset of puberty until it reaches physiological maturity. It is then, under the influence of the hormones produced in the adolescent's body, various changes occur, as a result of which secondary sexual characteristics develop. After its end, the individual's sexual maturity begins, that is, the ability to reproduce appears.

Over the past decades, the average age at onset of puberty has become very young. The main factors affecting the onset of puberty are:

genetics (race, heredity, etc.);
the environment and the use of cosmetics containing placenta extract, estrogens, phthalates;
nutrition - has the greatest impact on girls. High-calorie food is deposited in the form of adipose tissue, the accumulation of which signals the body that it is ready for puberty.

During puberty, parents should turn to psychology. Due to the hormonal storm, the nature of the adolescent's communication with peers and with the family is changing. He needs an understanding of what is happening to him on a physical and emotional level. It is necessary to conduct conversations with him on the topic of puberty, the relationship between a man and a woman, and others. It is important for parents at this time to establish trusting relationships with a teenager, as well as to take his free time with interesting hobbies. Then he is less likely to look for himself in bad company, alcohol or drugs.

The features of puberty for both sexes are:

appearance, most often on the skin of the face - this is due to an increase in the production of fat secretion by the sebaceous glands;
body hair growth;
changes in body odor and sweat;
increased fatigue and irritability.

Puberty in girls

In girls, it roughly corresponds to the age from 10 to 16 years. A shift in a couple of years is considered the norm, but the onset of this period up to 8 years and a strong delay in it, speaks of disorders in the body.

At this time, the ovaries begin to actively produce estrogen, due to which the genital organs are formed, and such body changes characteristic of a girl develop:

breast augmentation;
pubic hair growth;
the growth of pelvic bones and an increase in adipose tissue, due to which a female figure is formed;
vaginal discharge appears;
the onset of menstruation - the first time it occurs 2 years after the start of breast growth, for another 2 years it occurs irregularly.

After the menstrual cycle becomes regular, the girl is considered to have reached puberty.

Puberty in boys

It corresponds approximately to the age from 12 to 17-18 years. Changes in the body begin under the influence of the hormone testosterone. Simultaneously with internal changes, such external signs appear:

Puberty is a difficult time for parents and adolescents. You should know what you will have to face within 3-5 years. At this time, it is important to pay more attention to the child, to maintain a trusting relationship with him, to help overcome the difficulties that have arisen due to the restructuring of the body, as well as to give all the necessary information that will help him to more easily go through this period and enter adulthood.

Maria Soboleva

Puberty. Puberty problems

Every child goes through puberty - the time of puberty. In this difficult period of life, a teenager faces many problems. What do parents need to know to help their son or daughter grow up properly?

What is puberty?

An important step on the path of growing up, a difficult life span, a transitional age - this is how puberty can be characterized.

Girls acquire more feminine forms, boys gradually turn into boys, acquire purely masculine features.

The result of puberty with all its biological transformations and changes in psycho-emotional behavior is the onset of puberty.

On average, girls' puberty lasts from 9 to 14 years old, boys begin to grow up later - from 11 to 16 years old.

But there is no clear framework for puberty, there is an earlier or later onset of puberty. It depends on hereditary factors, ethnicity, weight of the child, nutrition, constitution.

Puberty - puberty problems

Puberty problems include the so-called adolescent complex.

Both boys and girls during this period can behave contradictory: on the one hand, they are extremely sensitive to the assessment of their appearance and abilities by others, and on the other, they are arrogant and express harsh judgments about others.

Teenagers are either painfully shy or deliberately cheeky, they can rebel and deny any authorities, but at the same time literally create idols for themselves, be fans of a musical group or the leader of some informal movement.

The problem of puberty for adolescents themselves and their loved ones is emotional instability, both girls and boys are characterized by sharp mood swings - from enthusiastic to depressive.

It is important for parents and educators to understand these characteristics, which are caused by puberty. Any attempt to infringe on self-esteem can cause a violent reaction.

Emotional instability reaches its peak in girls at 13-15 years old, and in boys - from 11 to 13 years old.

The puberty period of adolescents is characterized by the fact that they are already actively striving for independence and independence, but in difficult everyday situations they are just waiting for the help of adults, they do not dare to take responsibility.

Considering the problems of puberty, it is necessary to note the influence on the adolescent of his environment, the environment of peers with whom he communicates.

The opinion of the collective is extremely important for the guys, the very belonging to a certain group. This gives them self-confidence, but isolation can provoke complexes, anxiety, and sometimes aggressive behavior.

Physiological problems of puberty

During puberty, adolescents grow rapidly, which is provoked by hormones produced in the body.

Some girls can add from 6 to 9 cm in a year, and boys - up to 12 cm. This is fraught with a deterioration in well-being.

The growth of bone mass is faster than the growth of internal organs; children have dizziness, pain in the heart, weakness, muscle cramps.

Often in adolescents during puberty, scoliosis develops - a curvature of the spine. In adolescence, the risks of injuries to the musculoskeletal system are increased.

Puberty problems relate to the appearance of adolescents - they are unhappy with their angularity, clumsiness, disproportionate growth, sometimes overweight (this is more about girls - watch their diet).

Hormonal changes in the body of both girls and boys lead to the appearance of acne (acne). Acne and blackheads on the face are especially troubling for adolescents, which becomes a reason for suffering and tears.

See a doctor in time - after all, these are not only aesthetic problems, but also medical ones.

It is important for parents to explain to their girl that puberty will soon pass, you will become beautiful and slender. Update your daughter's wardrobe, help her learn to dress fashionably and beautifully.

And boys suffer because of their appearance, they also need to show attention and sympathy. It is good to captivate boys with sports activities.

Communicate with children more often, convince them of your love, emphasize their dignity.

Modern children grow up faster than we sometimes would like. Do not postpone until later conversations about the dangers of early sexual activity, about what promiscuous relationships are fraught with, what means of protection exist.

Adolescents who become sexually active during puberty run the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections such as the papilloma virus.

Puberty problems in boys

It is important for parents to know the stages of puberty for their son in order to prepare him for changes and the correct attitude to the processes taking place in the body.

During puberty, the boy's body begins to produce sex hormones in large quantities, the main of which is testosterone.

Excess hormones cause excessive sweating in boys, especially in the underarms and groin area.

Teach your son the rules of hygiene - regular shower, use of antiperspirants. A boy may not smell an unpleasant smell, but peers (especially girls) will feel it right away.

At 11-12 years old, adolescents enlarge their testes, then hair appears in the pubic area.

Armpit hair usually occurs at the age of 14, and a mustache appears by the age of 15.

Boys grow up in different ways - your son may seem "small" against the background of taller classmates, and then dramatically stretch out.

On September 1, classmates did not recognize Ivan - a tall guy came to the 9th grade, although a cheerful, nimble, but short boy left for the holidays.

It is important to reassure the teenager by explaining that growing up does not take place according to a clear schedule - it is individual for everyone. And in order to catch up with peers in their physical development, it is useful to exercise physically and eliminate bad habits.

During puberty, adolescents awaken libido - sexual desire. A growing up boy experiences erotic desires and fantasizes.

In order for him to form the correct orientation, communication with the opposite sex is important. It is also necessary to protect the child from outside influence, which promotes non-traditional sexual attitudes.

The boy needs to be explained what wet dreams are - involuntary ejaculation during sleep. On average, they occur at the age of 14 and are a sign of the normal development of a man's future.

Almost all adolescents go through masturbation during their puberty. Do not make it a tragedy - this is how sexual tension is relieved.

In addition, a teenager studies the technical side of sexual relations, as if training the sexual function of the body.

Today, the sexual life of a young man begins earlier, even before the end of puberty, the guy can already become sexually mature.

But the ability to have sexual intercourse and the psychological readiness for a serious relationship are not the same thing.

It is necessary to explain to the son about his responsibility for the possible consequences of sexual contacts - the pregnancy of the girl.

A trusting relationship with your son is especially important during his puberty - be a friend to your growing up boy.

Puberty problems in girls

In some girls, puberty may begin as early as 9 years of age with intense growth.

By the age of 11, many adolescents notice an increase in their mammary glands, then pubic hair appears, at the same time or a little later, hair in the armpits begins to grow.

Today, the so-called menarche - the first menstruation occurs in girls at the age of 11.5-13, 2 years after the first noticeable changes in the development of the mammary glands.

The onset of menstruation is an important event in the life of a future woman, the body of a growing girl is already capable of pregnancy.

On the eve of menarche, a teenager has problems with well-being - weakness, headaches, nausea, bouts of depression or hyperexcitability, pain in the lower abdomen.

The girl needs to be prepared for such sensations by talking about the features of critical days, proper hygiene.

Also, the mother should teach her daughter how to keep a calendar of menstruation, which they take with them when visiting the clinic (for various examinations, information about the date of the last menstruation is often required).

The cycle in the first year of your period may be irregular.

But it is important to monitor its duration (no more than 7 days), the abundance of menstruation (no more than 4 pads were used per day), the girl's well-being on these days.

Problems of puberty in almost 75% of all cases are in the presence of inflammatory processes of the external genital organs: vulvitis, vulvovaginitis. During puberty, girls still have a low level of estrogen and the protective functions of the epithelium of the genital organs are weak.

The puberty period in a girl's life requires parents to be especially attentive to their daughter.

Physiological processes in the body of adolescents of different sexes differ, but the psychological development of the personality during this period is equally important for girls and boys.

Let your children grow up, surrounded by loving and understanding loved ones, in a strong friendly family.

Take it for yourself, tell your friends!

Age

The onset of puberty in boys usually occurs at 10-12 years of age.

Until that time, all the most important characteristics were laid down at the pituitary level in order to prepare the body of a future man for the upcoming changes that indicate gender.

Sometimes the beginning of this important period occurs at the age of 14-15, which is also a deviation from the norm and is not a cause for concern.

Upon reaching the specified age, the voice begins to break, increased male-pattern hair growth and a number of other characteristic signs appear.

In most cases, puberty lasts up to 17-18 years, although sometimes it can be delayed up to 20, due to individual characteristics and external factors.

Signs of puberty in boys

External sexual characteristics

Puberty in boys develops in stages. At each of the stages, certain characteristic external signs appear.

The main sign of the onset of puberty in boys is an increase in the size of the penis.

At the age of 13, it reaches approximately 6.3 cm, and at 15 - 6.7 cm.The size of the testicles at this stage is about 4 cm.

An important external characteristic is pubic hair growth.

At the initial stage (12-13 years old), the form of hair growth resembles a rhombus, but as it grows (17-18 years old), the hairline gradually spreads to the inner surfaces of the thighs.

From 13-14 years old, the process of male-pattern hair growth begins.

At first, a soft, barely noticeable fluff appears above the upper lip - it gradually becomes harder and more intense.

At the same time, hair appears on other parts of the body - arms, legs and chest. By about the age of 15-16, the hairline of the face and body is completely formed in a teenager.

During puberty, boys begin an intense period of growth and muscle gain. At this stage, the shoulder girdle becomes stronger and wider. The pelvic region, on the other hand, becomes narrower. The composition of the body gradually acquires pronounced masculine proportions.

The puberty period brings many young men and significant problems with the skin, which are associated with increased activity of the sweat and sebaceous glands. The skin becomes coarser and greasy, and inflamed rashes often appear on them.

A striking characteristic feature of the sexual development of boys is the formation of an Adam's apple, or "Adam's apple."

At this stage, the muscles of the throat develop intensively, and the vocal cords increase in size, and therefore the voice begins to coarse and "break". This process usually lasts from 13 to 15 years old.

Musculoskeletal system

During puberty, significant changes affect the musculoskeletal system.

Due to the uneven growth of tissues, adolescents can look awkward and disproportionate for some time.

The sequence of increasing tissue size is as follows:

Bones.
Muscles.
Nerve fibers and blood vessels.

The development of body parts is disproportionate. First of all, the length of the hands and feet increases, then the limbs as a whole.

Only after this stage do the shapes of the face and body begin to change. The lower jaw becomes larger and more pronounced. The body becomes shorter.

For some time, a teenager may feel discomfort associated with coordination of movements. This is caused by the unusually large size of body parts and the gradual build-up of muscle mass.

Psychological features

The psychological, emotional and intellectual spheres of a young person are undergoing many changes.

External changes that a teenager is unhappy with can lead to self-doubt, shyness, withdrawal and depressive states.

Following these phenomena comes the craving for freedom of action and the search for their own individuality.

Frequent mood swings are an integral feature of puberty in boys, so apathy can be abruptly replaced by aggression and vice versa.

At this stage, parents should show wisdom and tact, as well as create a favorable environment for the personal development of a teenager and the most important male qualities.

Premature maturation

Premature puberty in boys is not common in practice.

This phenomenon can be discussed when, before reaching the age of 9-10, the boy begins to show some signs characteristic of the puberty period.

For example, he looks a little older compared to his peers, his body odor changes and his first skin rashes appear.

Premature sexual development is often false.

You can distinguish such a phenomenon from true premature maturation by checking the degree of development of both testicles. If they grow and develop, early maturation has indeed begun. The danger of this phenomenon is due to its causes - natural disruption of the hypothalamus or the transfer of brain diseases.

True precocious puberty requires immediate treatment as it can delay the growth of the child.

Later development

Among the main signs of late sexual development (maturation) in boys is the lack of growth of the genitals by the age of 13, as well as the absence of hair in the pubic region by 15.

There are several factors that can cause this delay:

the presence of diabetes mellitus;
kidney failure;
anemia;
Klinefelter's syndrome.

As well as some other pathologies related to the structure of chromosomes. With such a phenomenon, the help of a competent specialist is required.

The puberty period in boys under favorable conditions of development lasts from 10-12 to 17-18 years. Early and late development may indicate pathologies, therefore, they require qualified medical intervention.

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PUBLIC AGE (lat.ubertas, pubertatis - maturity, puberty; synonyms - adolescence, senior school age), the transitional time from childhood, during which the body reaches biological puberty.

Corresponds to the period of puberty: in girls, on average, from 12 to 16 years; for boys - from 13 to 17 - 18 years old. During its course, activation occurs, which determines the rapid somatic and sexual development of the girl and the boy. By the end of puberty, the body is anatomically and functionally ready to reproduce. In recent years, in all countries there has been a pronounced trend towards accelerated development of children and an earlier onset of puberty than was observed 80-100 years ago. The reason for this phenomenon is not entirely clear. It is believed that the acceleration is associated with civilization and urbanization of the population, changes in the nature of the diet, excessive consumption of proteins and sugar.

Puberty is an important, responsible and difficult stage in life, which is characterized by a complete lack of harmony. The trunk is stretched, the limbs grow disproportionately. The teenager does not have time to get used to such a rapid growth, his movements are angular, his gait is awkward. Neither a boy with a piercing mustache, nor a girl with fully developed feminine forms have not yet entered the adult world, but have already left the world of childhood. Hence the duality of their position and actions and many of their troubles. The loss of balance is caused by the restructuring of the hormonal system of the body, the difference in the rates of physical and spiritual development of a teenager and the degree of his social maturity and independence. All this cannot but affect the mental state.

Puberty: The Psychology of a Teenager

A teenager often does stupid things, does things that are inexplicable from the point of view of logic. Obviously, it is the special vulnerability and emotional instability of adolescents that can explain the fact that this age accounts for a significant percentage of suicides and suicidal attempts. At this age, the next phase of psychosexual development begins - the phase of romantic love, on the one hand, and erotic desires, on the other. Erotic sexual attraction (the desire not only for spiritual, but also for bodily contact, tenderness, affection, touch) worries the teenager. The first love begins with friendship, joint activities, games, dancing. Then there comes a moment when young lovers touch each other with trepidation, their feelings rise to the next rung of the sexual ladder - to hugs, kisses, caresses. Under normal circumstances, neither romantic adoration nor erotic attachment requires immediate sexual fulfillment. However, it must be remembered that with the onset of menstruation in girls, the sensitivity of the extragenital zones increases, and this causes some compliance, responsiveness to sexual stimuli.

Puberty:

Boys, with the appearance of emissions, enter a period of hypersexuality, when a desire to relieve inner tension can easily arise by performing certain actions. At this age, adolescents begin to think about the ways and possibilities of concrete realization of drives. It is at this time that unacceptable forms of sexual activity can take hold under the influence of chance.

With the onset of puberty, adolescents become smarter, their intellectual abilities, observation skills increase, thinking becomes more logical, and imagination richer. Sometimes there are cases of very early puberty, which depends on the abnormal development of the gonads or the appearance of tumors in them.

Puberty:

With early puberty, secondary sexual characteristics appear up to 7-10 years. In such cases, you should immediately seek the advice of your doctor. Conversely, late development of secondary sexual characteristics is possible - after 17 years. If up to 15 - 16 years of age secondary sexual characteristics did not appear, one should think about developmental delay; in this case, appropriate treatment is also necessary.

The maturation of the reproductive apparatus of both men and women begins earlier than the conditions for living together and the correct development of the fetus in the mother's body are created. Sexual life in this period is undesirable, since it undermines the health of an incompletely matured organism. The period of puberty is a very responsible and kind of "critical" period in the development of adolescents' bodies, which often determines their entire future life.

Puberty: a change in a boy's body

Genitals and fertility

The first sign of puberty in boys is an enlarged testes (adrenarche). Testicles in the period from 1 year to the beginning of puberty almost do not change in size, the length is 2-3 cm, and the width is 1.5-2 cm. 6 years after the onset of puberty, the testes reach a volume of 18-20 cm³, however, individual differences must be taken into account testicular size among men. The testicles have two main functions: hormone production and production, with the former beginning earlier and stimulating the latter. A year after the onset of maturation, sperm can be found in boys' morning urine. (the penis) begins to grow shortly after the start of testicular growth. As the growth of the penis arise, and then. On average, boys reach potential fertility by the age of 13, and full fertility by the age of 14-16.

Hair growth (adrenarche)

Premature sexual development- the onset of puberty in girls under 8 years old and in boys up to 9 years old.

With pathological processes in the pineal gland, the hypothalamus, changes occur in the hypothalamic-pituitary system that resemble those during normal puberty and the secretion of gonadotropic hormones of the pituitary gland, which in turn leads to sexual development that mimics the prepubertal and pubertal periods (the so-called true development of premature sexual development in both boys and girls, which is always isosexual). With gonadal tumors, tumors or dysfunction of the adrenal cortex, false premature sexual development begins: the secretion of gonadotropins does not increase, and the excessive production of sex hormones by the adrenal cortex or gonadal tumors does not correspond to the changes inherent in the normal prepubertal or pubertal periods, the gonads remain infantile.

In girls, false premature sexual development can be heterosexual - with adrenogenital syndrome or isosexual - with tumors, in boys - isosexual.

Symptoms of premature sexual development

Acceleration of growth and increase in body weight, outstripping peers in sexual development.

Girls have an increase