Group Health Presentation

Basic information ( definitions, symptoms, statistics, myths, misconceptions)-

Puberty typically happens for males between the ages of 10 and 14 by the body physically changing to
prepare for reproduction.

Symptoms of puberty in boys

Hair growth- boys begin to grow hair under their arms and in the pubic areas, later on during puberty,
facial hair will emerge.

Skin and voice- many boys will develop acne during puberty due to hormone and oil levels. In addition,
sweat and underarm odor may accompany as well as the voice deepening.

Reproductive development- boys begin to develop sperm during puberty and may start to have
ejaculations while sleeping, better known as a wet dream.

Emotions- boys might experience mood swings, be overly sensitive, and these emotions feel much
stronger.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5499027_symptoms-puberty-males.html

Girls and puberty

Girls typically reach puberty earlier than boys do but times vary the most among girls.

Height and weight- at about age 9, girls start to gain 17-18% of their adult height and most girls reach
their peak height growth about 6 months before they begin their period. Most girls gain weight during
puberty and may experience fat along their upper arms, back, and thighs. The hips will grow rounder
while the waist becomes narrower.

Breast development- this is an early sign of puberty in girls and can happen as early as age 9.

Hair increase- pubic hair is often the first sign of puberty, if not breast development. An increase in
underarm hair, leg and arm hair and the pubic area.

http://teens.webmd.com/facts-about-puberty-girls
Effects on the various domains of development (how will puberty affect other domains of
cognitive development. Language, social, etc.)-

Socially, puberty can impact a teen’s life and cause changes both good and bad.

The physical changes that happen in puberty give rise to the social and emotional changes as well.
Because of their increased hormone level, teens may look for relationships with others that intense,
romantic, and sexualized. Also, as they begin to see their bodies changing, teens may experience a new
and unfamiliar set of social experiences. Their peers begin to recognize these physical changes thus
might be treated differently. It’s been seen that the more rapidly maturing teen might have a boost in
their popularity while their slowly maturing peers might see a decline in popularity. What may also
happen is that other people start paying attention to how they look.

Parents seem to notice that their growing child has become more irritable and moody because of the
fluctuating hormones.

Lack of sleep (physical)

Teen’s moodiness can be affected by their lack of sleep. Our body’s sleep-wake cycle is determined by
the “circadian rhythm” which in turn is determined by hormones. When a teen goes thru puberty, their
hormones and circadian rhythm go through a shift which causes the teen to feel more alert and awake
at night. Because of this, teens wake up early in the morning for school with not as many hours of sleep
that are recommended, thus creating a moody and frustrated teenager. This lack of sleep might cause
irritability and decrease the amount of concentration.

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=38408&cn=1276

Question: Which teen feels more like the outcast of their friends, the rapidly maturing one or the slowly
maturing one?