What stages are there in puberty

Her arms, legs, hands, and feet will also get bigger. The culminating event will be the arrival of menarche, her first period menstruation. Depending on the age at which they begin their pubertal development, girls may get their first period between the ages of 9 and The physical changes kids experience as they move toward adulthood often are accompanied by emotional consequences.

Some girls are excited about their budding breasts and new training bras; others may worry that all eyes are focused on their breasts. Some boys love the sight of themselves all lathered up with shaving cream; others may be uncomfortable with the attention they get for a few new shoots of hair.

Pimples are common for most teens. Acne is caused by glands in the skin that produce a natural oil called sebum. Puberty hormones make the glands produce extra sebum, which can clog the pores. Washing gently with water and mild soap can get rid of excess sebum and help reduce breakouts. Over-the-counter and prescription medications are available for more severe cases of acne. Your family doctor can recommend a dermatologist a doctor who specializes in treating the skin if basic skin care and OTC medications don't keep acne under control.

Kids who once associated bath time with play need to learn to wash regularly and to apply deodorant or antiperspirant. A teen who's learning to shave will need to learn how to keep a razor clean, to throw a disposable one away before it becomes dull and ineffective, and to not share it with others.

Boys, capable of having erections since infancy, can now experience ejaculation. Usually, this first happens between the ages of 11 and 15, either spontaneously in connection with sexual fantasies, during masturbation, or as a nocturnal emission also called a wet dream. If he doesn't know about wet dreams before he has one, a boy may think he has urinated accidentally or that something has gone wrong with his body. As kids mature physically and emotionally, they become increasingly curious about their sexuality and their own bodies.

Except this time, you won't have diapers or a rattle and you'll have to dress yourself! It's good to know about the changes that come along with puberty before they happen, and it's really important to remember that everybody goes through it. No matter where you live, whether you're a guy or a girl, or whether you like hip-hop or country music, you will experience the changes that happen during puberty. No two people are exactly alike.

But one thing all adults have in common is they made it through puberty. When your body reaches a certain age, your brain releases a special hormone that starts the changes of puberty.

It's called gonadotropin-releasing hormone, or GnRH for short. When GnRH reaches the pituitary gland a pea-shaped gland that sits just under the brain , this gland releases into the bloodstream two more puberty hormones: luteinizing hormone LH for short and follicle-stimulating hormone FSH for short. Guys and girls have both of these hormones in their bodies. And depending on whether you're a guy or a girl, these hormones go to work on different parts of the body. For guys, these hormones travel through the blood and give the testes the signal to begin the production of testosterone and sperm.

Testosterone is the hormone that causes most of the changes in a guy's body during puberty. Sperm cells must be produced for men to reproduce. The hormones stimulate the ovaries to begin producing another hormone called estrogen. So that's what's really happening during puberty — it's all these new chemicals moving around inside your body, turning you from a teen into an adult with adult levels of hormones.

Puberty usually starts some time between age 7 and 13 in girls and 9 and 15 in guys. Some people start puberty a bit earlier or later , though. Each person is a little different, so everyone starts and goes through puberty on his or her body's own schedule.

This is one of the reasons why some of your friends might still look like kids, whereas others look more like adults. And a growth spurt is just that: Your body is growing, and it's happening really fast! When you enter puberty, it might seem like your sleeves are always getting shorter and your pants always look like you're ready for a flood — that's because you're experiencing a major growth spurt. It lasts for about 2 to 3 years. When that growth spurt is at its peak, some people grow 4 or more inches in a year.

This growth during puberty will be the last time your body grows taller. After that, you will be at your adult height. But your height isn't the only thing that will be changing. As your body grows taller, it will change in other ways, too. You will gain weight, and as your body becomes heavier, you'll start to notice changes in its overall shape. In the case of suspected delayed puberty, it's possible that your son's penis and testicles have gradually started to enlarge and he just hasn't noticed.

Your doctor can tell with a physical exam and can run some tests on your son's hormones to see if there are any problems.

Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Breehl L, Caban O. Physiology, Puberty. In: StatPearls. Updated November 21, Individual differences in boys' and girls' timing and tempo of puberty: modeling development with nonlinear growth models.

Dev Psychol. Growth and pubertal development in children and adolescents: effects of diet and physical activity. Am J Clin Nutr. Age-based reference ranges for annual height velocity in US children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Schoenau E. Bone mass increase in puberty: what makes it happen? Horm Res. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Hall A. Pearly Penile Papules. In: Atlas of Male Genital Dermatology. Springer, Is age at puberty associated with semen quality and reproductive hormones in young adult life?

Asian J Androl. Voice and endocrinology. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. Gynecomastia in adolescent males. Semin Plast Surg. Smith SS. World Health Organization. Delayed puberty versus hypogonadism: a challenge for the pediatrician. Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. Howard SR. Pubic hair also starts to grow, and some girls may notice more hair on their legs and arms.

Later signs of puberty in girls After a year or so of puberty beginning, and for the next couple of years: girls' breasts continue to grow and become fuller around 2 years after beginning puberty, girls usually have their first period pubic hair becomes coarser and curlier underarm hair begins to grow — some girls also have hair in other parts of their body, such as their top lip, and this is completely normal girls start to sweat more girls often get acne — a skin condition that shows up as different types of spots, including whiteheads, blackheads and pus-filled spots called pustules girls have a white vaginal discharge girls go through a growth spurt — from the time their periods start, girls grow 5 to 7.

Puberty can also be an exciting time, as children develop new emotions and feelings. But the "emotional rollercoaster" they're on can have psychological and emotional effects, such as: unexplained mood swings low self-esteem aggression depression Find out more about teen aggression , coping with your teenager and talking to your teen.

Puberty support for children If children are worried or confused about any part of puberty, it may help them to talk to a close friend or relative. ChildLine's website answers boys' common questions about puberty and girls' common questions about puberty. It also offers free and confidential advice on its telephone helpline, which can be reached on Children can also look at its puberty message board for girls and puberty message board for boys to see what other young people are asking about.

Puberty support for parents and carers The Royal College of Psychiatrists website gives advice for parents and carers on what to expect when children hit adolescence, including why they're likely to become sulky, suddenly start dieting, have crushes on friends, and crave excitement. The FPA formerly the Family Planning Association has a range of online leaflets that give advice on talking to your children about growing up, sex and relationships.