Early Childhood to Pre-adolescents
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This is My Body
Young people go through many changes as they move from childhood into adolescence . Early pre-pubescent changes occur when the secondary sexual characteristics appear.The exact age a child enters puberty depends on a number of factors, including family history, nutrition, and gender. Puberty is the time during which sexual and physical characteristics mature. Precocious puberty is when these body changes happen earlier than normal.
- Girls may begin to develop breast buds as early as
8 years old. Breasts develop fully between ages 12 and 18. - Pubic hair, armpit and leg hair usually begin to
grow at about age 9 or 10, and reach adult patterns at about 13 to 14 years - Menarche (the beginning of menstrual periods)
typically occurs about 2 years after early breast and pubic hair appear. It may occur as early as age 10, or as late as age 15. The average age of menstruation in the United States is about 12.5 years. - Girls have a rapid growth in height between ages
9.5 and 14.5, peaking at around age 12 - In girls, precocious puberty is when any of the changes occur before age 8
Boys may begin to notice enlargement of the testicles and scrotum as early as 9 years of age, followed closely by lengthening of the penis. Adult size and shape of the genitals is typically reached by age 16 to 17 years. Pubic hair growth -- as well as armpit, leg, chest, and facial hair -- begins in boys at about age 12, and reaches adult distribution patterns at about 15 to 16 years. Accompanying underarm hair growth, your sweat and oil producing glands also start developing, which eventually results in acne when these glands are clogged. In boys, precocious puberty is when any of these changes occur before age 9
Acccepting the Body Physique
The beginning of puberty and the rate of body changes for adolescents varies tremendously. How easily adolescents deal with those changes will partly reflect how closely their bodies match the well-defined stereotypes of the "perfect" body for young women and young men. Adolescents who do not match the stereotype may need extra support from adults to improve their feelings of comfort and self-worth regarding their physique. Because physical changes may not occur in a smooth, regular schedule, adolescents may go through awkward stages, both about their appearance and physical coordination. The sudden and rapid physical changes that adolescents go through make adolescents very self-conscious, sensitive, and worried about their own body changes. They may make painful comparisons about themselves with their peers.
Read more: http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/002003.htm#ixzz1taTX7tF3.
Related Links
Puberty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn4X60d9ov8&feature=player_detailpage
Physical Development
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfk4MiIlS0g&feature=player_detailpage
Teen Truth About Body Image:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpFBKeuKf7M
Body Image and Media Statistics and Facts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6_zvQB46E&feature=related
The Effects of Mass Media on Teens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgUE4BeWM-g&feature=related
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