What is puberty?
Puberty is the time in life when a person becomes sexually mature.
It is a physical change that usually happens between ages 10 and
14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. Some African American
girls start puberty earlier than white girls, making their age
range for puberty 9 to 14.
Puberty starts when a part of the brain called the hypothalmus
begins releasing a hormone called gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH).
GnRH then signals the pituitary gland to release two more hormones
- luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
– to start sexual development.
What
are the signs of puberty?
Puberty affects boys and girls differently.
In females:
The first sign of puberty is usually breast
development.
Other signs are the growth of hair in the
pubic area and armpits, and acne.
Menstruation (or a period) usually happens
last.
In males:
Puberty usually begins with the testicles and
penis getting bigger.
Then hair grows in the pubic area and
armpits.
Muscles grow, the voice deepens, and acne and
facial hair develop as puberty continues.
Both boys and girls usually have
a growth spurt (a rapid increase in height) that lasts for about 2
or 3 years along with the signs listed above. This brings them
closer to their adult height, which they reach after puberty.
Does everyone go through
puberty the same way?
Puberty can have different patterns, so everyone may not go
through puberty in the same way. For example:
Some children may begin
puberty earlier than normal, a condition called precocious
puberty. If signs of puberty occur early (before age 7 or 8 for
girls and before age 9 for boys), parents and caregivers should
talk to their child’s health care provider to see if treatment
is needed.
Other children may have
delayed puberty, meaning the process begins later than normal.
Sometimes there is a reason for puberty starting late; for
example, many young girls who are gymnasts start puberty later
than those who are not gymnasts. But in many cases, there is no
known reason for the delay.
If development is later than
normal, parents and caregivers should talk to a health care
provider, who can make sure there is not a medical condition
causing the delay. But most kids with delayed puberty need no
treatment and begin puberty on their own body’s time.
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