National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Puberty is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It is a physical change that usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. Puberty affects boys and girls differently.
In girls:
In boys:
Both boys and girls also usually have a growth spurt (a rapid increase in height) that lasts for about 2 or 3 years. This brings them closer to their adult height, which they reach after puberty.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)