Also called: Also called: Adolescent development
The time during your teens when you become sexually mature is called puberty. It is a physical change that usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys.
Some changes occur in both boys and girls, including
- Growing taller
- Weighing more
- Acne
- Growing underarm and pubic hair
In addition, girls develop breasts and begin their periods. Boys become more muscular, their voices deepen, and their penises and testicles become larger. You might also notice changes in the way you think and feel.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Growth and Your 13-to 18-Year-Old(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growth/growth_13_to_18.html
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Puberty: What to Expect When Your Child Goes through Puberty(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/parents-teens/445.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/parents-teens/445.printerview.html
- Adolescents(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch270/ch270a.html
- Normal Adolescent Development - Late High School Years and Beyond(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?name=Normal+Adolescent+Development+Part+II§ion=Facts+for+Families
- Normal Adolescent Development - Middle School and Early High School Years(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) - http://www.aacap.org/page.ww?name=Normal+Adolescent+Development+Part+I§ion=Facts+for+Families
- Choose Respect: Teaching Kids and Teens about Healthy Relationships(08/18/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ChooseRespect/
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Reading, Math Scores Up for 4th and 8th Graders
(07/11/2008, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2008/nichd-11.htm
- Am I in a Healthy Relationship?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/relationships/healthy_relationship.html
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Body Image and Self-Esteem(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/body_image.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/mente/body_image_esp.html
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Delayed Puberty(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/changing_body/delayed_puberty.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/delayed_puberty_esp.html
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Everything You Wanted to Know about Puberty(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/changing_body/puberty.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/puberty_esp.html
- Problems in Adolescents(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch271/ch271a.html
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Puberty(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Puberty.cfm
- Relationship Development(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1519/mainpageS1519P0.html
- Sexual Attraction and Orientation(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/sexual_orientation.html
- What's the Right Weight for My Height?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/weight_height.html
- Your Child's Changing Voice(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/changing_voice.html
- Communication and Your 13-to 18-Year-Old(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/communication/comm_13_to_18.html
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Talking to Your Child about Puberty(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/talk_about_puberty.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/crecimiento/talk_about_puberty_esp.html
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Talking to Your Doctor(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/talk_doctor.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/talk_doctor_esp.html
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Understanding Your Teenager's Emotional Health(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/parents-teens/590.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/parents-teens/590.printerview.html
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Adolescence
(Healthy Roads Media) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/english/Files/flv/engadol.htm
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Female Reproductive System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/changing_body/female_repro.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/female_repro_esp.html
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Male Reproductive System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/changing_body/male_repro.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/male_repro_esp.html
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Puberty(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=puberty
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Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress(National Institute of Mental Health) - http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/teenage-brain-a-work-in-progress.shtml
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Uneven Regional Brain Development Contributes to Adolescent Risk-Taking(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N3/uneven.html
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Body mass index of Kuwaiti adolescents aged 10-14 years: reference... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18561725&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Talking about positive youth development. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18540278&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Anticipating problem alcohol use developmentally from childhood into middle adulthood:... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18426543&tool=MedlinePlus
- Teen Development -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=adolescent+development[majr]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - http://www.aacap.org/
- American Academy of Family Physicians - http://familydoctor.org/
- KidsHealth(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/index_noflash.html
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
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I'm a Guy ... So How Come I'm Developing Breasts?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/question/just_guys/boybrst.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/boybrst_esp.html
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Is My Penis Normal?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/guys/penis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/penis_esp.html
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Can I Make My Breasts Larger?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/expert/body/larger_breasts.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/sexual/larger_breasts_esp.html
- Changes in Your Body(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.girlshealth.gov/body/
- I've Never Had My Period, So What Is This Discharge?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/vdischarge.html
- Why Are My Breasts Different Sizes?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/breast_size.html
- Why Are My Breasts Sore?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/sore_breasts.html
- Teen Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenhealth.html
- Teen Sexual Health - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teensexualhealth.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Mental Health and Behavior - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mentalhealthandbehavior.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Teen Development is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
Teen Development - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/teendevelopment.html