Puberty – Teacher Fact File
What is puberty?
Puberty is when a child’s body begins to develop and change as they become an adult. Girls develop
breasts, hormones stimulate the ovaries to release eggs and their periods start. Boys develop bigger
testicles and penis and start to produce sperm; their voice deepens and they start to look like men.
What causes puberty?
Certain hormones are produced as children begin puberty and they bring about the associated changes.
Puberty begins at different times for different people. Typically, girls will begin puberty between the ages
of 8 and 14 and for boys it might be around the age of 13 or 14. For some, it may happen earlier or later
and that’s just fine. If it’s much earlier or much later than those ages, then it is a good idea to see your local
GP just to check that all is happening as it should.
The female hormones
The hypothalamus area of the brain releases a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
which stimulates the pituitary gland to release two hormones called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)
and luteinizing hormone (LH). It is these two hormones FSH and LH that are responsible for triggering the
onset of puberty and sexual development.
The role of the follicle stimulating hormone is to activate the ovaries. Girls are born with all the eggs that
they will ever need, they lie dormant in the ovary until the levels of FSH rise enough to wake them up.
Follicle stimulating hormone does just that- it stimulates the follicles in the ovary. The result of this
stimulation is the release of oestrogen into the blood stream. Oestrogen is responsible for the
development of breast issue, laying down of fatty deposits, preparing the lining of the womb and changes
to the secretions produced by the cervix (neck of the womb).
Progestogen is responsible for sustaining pregnancy, preventing any further eggs from being released,
stabilizing the lining of the womb enabling it to be ready to receive a fertilised egg and changes to the
secretions at the cervix once the ovulation had occurred (egg has been released). Progesterone is also
responsible for premenstrual symptoms such as mood swings, breast tenderness and feeling bloated.
Interestingly women also produce very small levels of the male hormone testosterone- this is responsible
for libido (sex drive), energy and mental state.
How will I know if I have it?
Girls
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The first sign of puberty in girls is usually that their breasts begin to develop. It’s normal for breast
buds to sometimes be very tender or for one breast to start to develop several months before the
other one.
• Hair also starts to grow in the armpit, around the genital area and some girls may notice more hair
on their legs and arms.
After a year or so of puberty beginning, and for the next couple of years:
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Girls’ breasts continue to grow and become fuller
Around two years after beginning puberty, girls usually have their first period. Adolescent girls
often have anovulatory cycles (no egg released) so it is common for periods to be erratic and
irregular. The bleed will also vary in how long it lasts, how much blood is lost and how painful it is.
Period pain is normal. It’s a cramping of the uterus and a variance in hormones that can cause pain
and discomfort. It is very important to normalise this and encourage the use of exercise to trigger
natural pain killing endorphins. Also the use of a hot water bottle and simple pain killers, for
example, paracetamol and ibuprofen can help.
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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. 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 which can also be pinkish in colour, this is a signal that periods
are soon to begin.
Girls go throw a growth spurt. From the time their periods start, girls grow 5 – 7.5cm (2-3 inches)
annually over the next year or two, then reach their adult height.
Most girls gain weight – and it’s normal for this to happen – as their body shape changes. Girls
develop more body fat along their upper arms, thighs and upper back. Their hips grow rounder and
their waist gets narrower.
Girls can become more clumsy and less spatially aware during puberty.
After about four years of puberty in girls
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Breasts become adult-like
Pubic hair has spread to the inner thigh
Genitals should now be fully developed
Girls stop growing taller
Boys
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The first sign of puberty in boys is usually that their testicles get bigger and the scrotum begins to
thin and redden
• Pubic hair also starts to appear at the base of the penis
• They also begin to grow soft hair on the top lip
After a year or so of puberty starting, and for the next couple of years:
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The penis and testicles grow and the scrotum gradually becomes darker
Pubic hair becomes thicker and curlier
Underarm hair starts to grow
Boys start to sweat more
Boys have mood swings and can become aggressive, withdrawn and self-conscious
Breasts can swell slightly temporarily – this is normal and is not the same as ‘man-boobs’
Boys may have ‘wet dreams’ (involuntary ejaculations of semen as they sleep)
Their voice ‘breaks’ and gets permanently deeper. For a while, a boy might find his voice goes very
deep one minute and very high the next
• Boys often develop acne – a skin condition that shows up as different types of spots, including
whiteheads, blackheads and pus-filled spots called pustules
• Boys go through a growth spurt and become taller by an average of 7-8cms (around 3 inches)
annually, and more muscular
• Boys can become more clumsy and less spatially aware during puberty.
After about four years of puberty in boys
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Genitals look like an adult’s and pubic hair has spread to the inner thighs.
Facial hair begins to grow and boys may start shaving.
Boys get taller at a slower rate and stop growing completely at around 18-19 years of age (but may
continue to get more muscular into their early 20s).
• Most boys will have reached full sexual maturity by 18 years of age.
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Brain Development
As you grow, not only does your body alter, but you also your brain changes and you develop new thinking
pathways. Just as different parts of your body grow at different rates, so do the different parts of your
brain.
Your brain can be described as being in three parts, the first part to develop is often called the Reptilian
Brain; it controls the basic functions of the body like breathing and your heart beat. It also controls the
instinctive fight, flight or freeze responses to potential threat.
The second part to develop is the Limbic Brain and this part is associated with feelings and memories, this
is why younger children can have very emotional responses when the issue doesn’t seem to warrant it from
an adult perspective (this may be classed as temper tantrums; it’s simply raw emotion. In adolescence, this
becomes mood swings expressed as anger, sadness, aggression and general low mood).
The third part is the Neo-Cortex. This is the logical thinking part of the brain and doesn’t stop forming until
late teens early 20s for females and later 20s to 30 for males. This is why teenage brains find it hard to
consider consequences of their actions; their brains simply aren’t fully developed to allow that process in
its entirety. This is often displayed in risk taking behaviour. Interestingly, teenagers will see behaviours
such as driving fast, contact sports, free running, substance misuse, and sex as being an experience rather
than a risk.
Is treatment needed?
Providing that the young person understands and feels able to manage their physical and emotional
changes then no treatment is required.
Puberty is a normal part of growing up and the experience of it will vary from one person to the next. Some
people will find the changes easy while others may find them hard and this can change from one day to
the next. Just as the body is changing, so too are the emotions and feelings that a child will experience.
It is also normal in adolescence to feel anxious and overwhelmed at the lack of control in how their bodies
are developing. Many teenagers mourn the loss of their childhood and resent the physical changes that
they are experiencing. Many try to hide their changing bodies, others will celebrate it and be proud of their
new shape and features.
These changes can all feel like a bit of a rollercoaster at times and mood swings are a common feature of
puberty. If a child is worried or confused about any part of puberty, it may help to talk to a close friend or
relative. Just as with any problem or concern, it is important to have trusted people who they can turn to
for advice or simply a chat about what’s going on and how they feel. Reminding children and young people
of this will help to reassure and safeguard them.
Who is affected?
Everyone will experience puberty as they grow from a child into an adult.
Information adapted from the NHS Choices website. For more information, please visit:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/puberty/Pages/puberty-signs.aspx
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