Adolescence‘adolescere’ Latin = “to grow, to mature” i.e. achieving an identity.

.

The human body under goes several changes during Adolescence. These changes mark the onset of

PUBERTY.

The most important change which marks puberty is that boys and girls become capable of reproduction.

Puberty ends when an adolescent reaches reproductive maturity.

1. Increase in height

2. Change in body shape

3. Voice change

4. Increased activity of sweat and

sebaceous glands

5. Development of sex organs

6. Reaching mental, intellectual and

emotional maturity

Age in

years

% of full height

Boys Girls

8 72 % 77 %

9 75 % 81 %

10 78 % 84 %

11 81 % 88 %

12 84 % 91 %

13 88 % 95 %

14 92 % 98 %

15 95 % 99 %

16 98 % 99.5 %

17 99 % 100 %

18 100 % 100 %

Present height ____ % of full height at this age

X 100

A boy is 9 years old and 120 cm tall. At the end of the growth period he is likely to be

X 100 cm = 160 cm tall12075

At puberty, the voice box or the larynx begins to grow.

Boys develop larger voice boxes. Boys have a deep and hoarse voice. The larynx is visible clearly.

The larynx is hardly visible from the outside. Girls have a high pitched voice.

The growing voice box can be seen as a protruding part of the throat called Adam’s

apple.

•The testes and penis develop completely. •The testes also begin to produce sperms.

•The ovaries enlarge and eggs begin to mature.•Also ovaries start releasing mature eggs.

•It is the time in one’s life when the brain has the greatest capacity for learning.

•The change in a person’s way of thinking .•The person feels more independent than before and also becomes self conscious.

•A person may feel insecure while trying to adjust to the changes in the body and mind.

The changes which occur at adolescence are controlled by chemical substances called hormones.

Hormones are secretions from endocrine glands.

•The testes begin to release male hormone or testosterone. This causes hair growth.

•The ovaries begin to produce the female hormone or estrogen which make the breast develop. Milk secreting glands or mammary glands develop inside the breast.

The production of these hormones is under the control of another hormone in endocrine gland called pituitary gland.

The hormones secreted by the pituitary stimulate testes and ovaries to produce their

hormones.

The pituitary is attached to the brain

A part from the pituitary, there are other endocrine glands in the body such as thyroid,

pancreas and adrenals.

The adrenal glands secrete hormones which maintain the correct salt balance in the blood.

Adrenals also produce the hormone adrenalin.

It helps the body to adjust to stress when one is very angry, embarrassed or worried.

Thyroid and adrenals secrete their hormones when they receive orders from pituitary through its

hormones.Pituitary also secretes growth hormone which is

necessary for the normal growth of a person.

Adolescence is a stage of rapid growth and development.

The diet for an adolescent has to be carefully planned.

The diet must be the balanced diet.

Iron build blood and iron-rich food such as leafy vegetables, jaggery, meat etc.

are good for adolescents.

Adolescence is a time when our bodies, our families, ourschools and the largest society demand that we change.

Teenage years can be an emotional assault forconcerned. Parents and their teenage offspring mayseem to be at each other throats. The special name forthis stormy time is adolescence.

Adolescence

is..

…that part in our life where nothing seems to go

smoothly yet our best moments are about those

Some Definitions

• Puberty

Physical characteristics that occur during adolescence.

• Primary Sex CharacteristicsThe changes that mark the beginning of puberty for girls and boys.

• Secondary Sex CharacteristicsOther external changes that make adolescents look like mature men and women

Teenagers Comprise 2nd largest population group. (23%)

• over 1 billion world over

• World over - 1 out of every 5 person

• Developing - 1 out of every 4 person

• 10-19 years age group constitute > 1/5th

of India’s population.

• By the year 2010 there will be more

adolescents alive in the world than ever

before

• Healthy and well-adjusted adolescents of

today will become productive citizens and

dynamic leaders of tomorrow.

CSN Vittal