Puberty

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Almost everyone grows and goes through puberty- but not everyone!

The girl on the left is 16 years old. But physically and mentally she is like a baby!

Lawrence Koomson- Boy man

Lawrence Koomson didn’t go through puberty until age 33.

Doctors gave him testosterone to make him start puberty.

It was successful!

Hormones are released by the brain to start puberty.

• In boys, testosterone is released.• In girls, estrogen is released.

Girls start puberty at age 10-11, finish at age 15-17Boys start at age 11-12, finish 16-17

The average age of puberty has been dropping since 1840.

Some people think chemicals in our food is causing this.

Menarche means a woman’s first period.

Body changes

Growth spurt

You may be hungry all the time.You will grow fast in your mid-teens.

clumsy

When you are growing very fast, sometimes it is hard to control your body.

Growth plates

Growth plates are where your bones grow. If they are injured before adulthood, it could be a problem.

Body hair Chest hair

Pubic hair

Armpit hair

Body odor

Adults have stronger body odor than children.

Wash your armpits and groin well.

Acne- pimples and zits

Your skin makes more oil during puberty, which can cause acne.

Voice cracking

When the larynx is growing quickly, sometimes boys cannot control their voice and it “cracks”.

Adam’s apple

Men have one, but women don’t.

Boys during puberty sometimes cannot control their erections.

Penis and testicles get larger.

Nocturnal emissions- “wet dreams”

Sometimes boys may wake up with semen on their sheets.

This means they probably had a sexual dream.

Women gain fat during puberty. Some fat is healthy!

A woman stores fat on her body in case she gets pregnant.

Some girls wear a training bra

A training bra is for girls who are just starting to grow breasts.

menstruation

A woman’s period usually lasts from 3-7 days.

What to do when you have your first period?

Tampons or maxi pads?

tamponMaxi pad

Maxi pads are safer, but may not be as comfortable.

Tampons must be changed often!

Should you exercise during menstruation?

Yes! You can even swim during your period.

Don’t flush tampons and pads down the toilet!

When does puberty end?

• Puberty usually ends between 18-20 years old.• But men often don’t get full facial hair until

they are 25 or older.

Sexual awakening

During puberty, hormones make us feel sexual attraction.

Questions

• What are some of the things that happen during puberty?

• Who starts puberty first, girls or boys?• What hormone starts puberty for men? What

about for women?• How long is a woman’s menstrual cycle?• What kinds of new hair do people grow during

puberty?

Questions for the teacher

• Please think of at least one question to ask about puberty, and ask it next class.

• If I can’t answer it then, (I don’t know everything!) I will answer it in the next class.