Understanding Puberty

Puberty is the time when young people start to change from being a child to an adult. Research shows that the age of puberty is earlier, but there is no 'set' age when this will happen. It may start when they are eight years old and continue into the teenage years. At this age, developing good communication about sexuality is important. This age is also a time of many emotional and physical changes. Puberty starts when hormones are sent from the brain to the testicles in boys and ovaries in girls. These hormones are like chemical messages that cause the testicles and ovaries to release other hormones. All these hormones work together to trigger the changes in puberty.

All young people can expect:

an increase in height, weight and muscle strength
an increase in the size of the genitals
an increase in sweating and oiliness of the skin
hair growth around the genitals, under the arms and on the legs and arms
sudden mood swings and intense emotions - love, hate, jealousy, joy, anger, sadness
an involuntary increase in sexual feelings and fantasies
blushing at almost anything

There may also be changes in the way young people behave and how they relate to others, including their parents. For example:

They may think that everyone is looking at them as if they are 'on stage' or in a fish bowl
They may believe that nothing bad will ever happen to them
They may have heaps of energy, get very tired and very hungry
They are more likely to masturbate, or rub their genitals for pleasure
They may have sexual feelings for others - for the same sex and the opposite sex
They may feel pressure from their friends
There is a strong desire to 'fit in' with their peers
They may change their minds and their plans every few minutes
They are more modest, want more privacy and need time to themselves
They want to spend more time with their friends than their family
They may question family values
They may have trouble making decisions

Puberty can be a time of confusion and uncertainty. Young people want to know they are the same as everyone else but they aren't quite sure what that is. They want to know that they're normal. Their worries may seem unimportant to adults but they are huge in their eyes.

Understanding Puberty

For more specific information on puberty in girls or boys, see the links at left.