Puberty: Physical Transition to Adulthood
Puberty: It is a period of rapid physical maturation involving hormonal and bodily changes
that occur primarily in early adolescence. The features and proportions of the body change
and the individual becomes capable of reproduction. They reach sexual maturity. Not same
as adolescence.
Adolescent growth spurt: It is the rapid increase in physical growth that marks the beginning
of adolescence. It is the most rapid growth since infancy. It occurs approximately two years
earlier for girls. The mean age when growth spurt starts is 9 for girls and 11 for boys and
reach the peak at 11.5 years for girls and 13.5 for boys.
It describes the rapid acceleration in weight and height. Girls increase about 3.5
inches a year and boys 4.5 per year. But if they were shorter or taller than their
peers before adolescence they are likely to remain so. In the beginning girls are
similar or taller than boys then boys eventually catch up and even surpass them.
They could gain about 30% of height in late adolescence.
Onset of puberty: For boys it can start as early as 10 years or late as 13 ½ and end at 13 or
continue up to 17 years. For girls the onset of puberty is marked by menarche and it has a
wide range within it is possible to occur, from 9 to 15 years.
Precocious puberty: Describer the very early onset and rapid progression of puberty. It is
diagnosed when the onset happens before 8 years for girls and before 9 for boys. It occurs
10 times more often in girls. They are likely to have short stature, early sexual capability and
potentially engage in inappropriate behavior.
Treatment: Decrease the gonadotropin secretions, which temporarily stops pubertal
change.
Sexual Maturation
Girls: It usually begins with the appearance of breasts and growth spurt.
Menarche/ menstruation is one of the
events of puberty that come later
around the age of 12 1/2, 13 (for
Western girls). Age range: 10 ½ - 15 ½.
The age of menarche tends to lower as
years go by. It starts after height reach
the peak. For the first 12-18 months no
ovum release. It does not occur in all
girls (temporary sterility). In the first 1-
2 years the cycle is more painful.
, Block 1.5 – Changing man
Problem 8-Adolescence
Following that, breast formation, takes about 3-4 years so it is completed around 14
years.
Vagina enlargement and walls of uterus develop powerful muscles for pregnancy
purposes.
Pubis, labia (lips), and the clitoris enlarge and become sensitive to touch.
As breast formation occurs, pubic hair growth completes and also underarm hair
appears.
Boys: The beginning of puberty, enlargement of testes (glands that produce sperm),
accompanied by change of color in the scrotum.
Pubic hair emergency later, at the same
time penis enlargement. At the same time
prostate gland and seminal vesicles
enlarge and around 13 ½ first ejaculation,
spermarche. That is completed around
age 14 and underarm hair appears.
Growth spurt occurs later for boys and the
height gain is more intense and long
lasting.
Voice: Larynx enlarges, vocal cords change
and voice changes. It takes place at the
peak of male growth spurt and is not
completed until the end of puberty.
Secular trend: It refers to the fact that people
reach sexual maturity far earlier than in the past.
They are growing taller and heavier, it is said to occur because of the improved nutrition and
health care.
Hormonal Processes in sexual maturation
The hypothalamus, stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete certain hormones cause the
adrenal cortex and gonads to initiate the growth spurt.
The secondary sex characteristics like emergence of breasts, or pubic hair growth happens
first and later. Gradual development.
The primary sex characteristics process and evolve later e.g. spermarche- ejaculation,
menstrual cycle-ovulation. Can occur after 2-3 years after the beginning of maturation
process.
Rising concentration of hormones like estrogens, progesterone in females and testosterone
in males are essential for sexual maturation.
Influences in the time of puberty/differences
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