Puberty

** Puberty ** **General- Puberty** Puberty is the specific name used to indicate “the time when a child’s body begins to develop and change physically and sexually from being a kid to becoming an adult” (KidsHealth, 2011). Every person, no matter where in the world, what gender, or the race of the individual will experience puberty because it is a phenomenon that every human has to go through to make that transition to adulthood. Puberty most of the time begins for people ages “8 through 13 in girls and ages 10 through 15 in boys” (KidsHealth, 2011). When a person’s body is at the point to where it is beginning puberty, “the body releases hormones and, depending on whether the person is a boy or a girl, these hormones go to work on different parts of the body” (KidsHealth, 2011). Some of the changes occur to both males and females during this time. Some of those changes include underarm hair growth, growth spurts, pubic hair growth, and increase in body fat percentage. However, there are many differences that occur with regard to puberty for males and females as well. “The phenomenon of puberty increases the percent of body fat, especially in females; the average percentage in adult females is 23% to 27% versus 13% to 15% for adult males” (Greydanus, 2004, p. 2). Women also experience their first periods during puberty, which usually indicates that the female will be able to “become pregnant someday” (KidsHealth, 2011). During this time many males will experience increase in muscle mass, voice changes, and facial hair production (KidsHealth, 2011).
 * Aleksandra Ostojic**

**Puberty Communication- Parents** There is not a perfect age “at which to have a talk about puberty between children and parents; in fact, it is a good idea to have many talks” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). It is advised to parents to “try to talk with the child before any signs of puberty develop so that they do not come as surprises (Planned Parenthood, 2011). The reason for this is because if a child knows what to “expect ahead of time, the changes that he or she is about to be going through will be much easier to deal with” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). Many parents are concerned that with the onset of puberty comes the onset of children wanting to experiment and learn about their sexuality. Puberty and human reproduction can be great opportunities to begin the talk about “important topics like relationships, sex, and sexuality” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). For kids, “understanding sexuality helps them cope with their feelings, peer pressure, allows them to take charge of their lives, and protect against sexual abuse” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). When discussing sex related topics such as body changes and pregnancy, there are “gender difference between male and females; girls report talking about sex with their mother more often than boys” (Sneed, 2008, p.71). While there are most certainly benefits to having a parent and child discussion about these new changes and questions children might have, some “parents may feel somewhat reluctant to discuss sex with their children and children may feel somewhat reluctant to discuss sex with their parents. Mothers may feel embarrassed discussing sensitive sexual topics with their children and may want to avoid topics on sexual behavior that they do not have the answer to” (Sneed, 2008, p.71). Planned Parenthood advocates for parents to “to admit how they’re feeling — parents can simply say, “I might get a little tense or uncomfortable during this conversation, and you might, too. That’s okay for both of us — it’s totally normal”’ (Planned Parenthood, 2011). If children learn about sex and puberty earlier, “they will be more likely to trust parents enough to ask questions about sex later on in life” (Planned Parenthood, 2011).

**Puberty Communication- Peers** As kids begin to reach adolescence and their bodies are developing changes, they “become more aware of their bodies experience greater concern about weight and more body dissatisfaction” (Lindberg, 2007). The increase that many children experience “in body fat associated with puberty is associated with adolescents’ body image concerns; BMI partially mediates the relation between pubertal development and body shame” (Lindberg, 2007). The idea of “objectified body consciousness (OBC)—the tendency to view one’s body as an object for others to look at and evaluate—plays a key role in this process and partially explains how adolescents become vulnerable to negative body image and disordered eating” (Lindberg, 2007). For many people near the ages around when puberty takes place, perceptions of what their peers say and discuss related to sexual attitudes and behaviors, predicts sexual risk behavior for adolescents (Whitaker, 2000). Children in their pubescent years “want information about sex but feel that they do not get enough. If parents do not provide adolescents with information about reproductive changes and processes, they may turn to peers for that information” (Whitaker, 2000, p.254).

**Puberty Communication- Education System** Some educators, like parents and teens, can “feel anxious or tentative in tackling the topics of sex, sexuality, and sexual health” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). While parents should most definitely be a resource for children when they are experiencing such drastic physical and sexual changes, “many parents may need support, resources, and expertise from schools and other organizations” to supplement (Planned Parenthood, 2011). When communicating with one’s students about puberty, sexual health, and sexuality, “it is important that young people receive age-appropriate sexual health information and develop practical skills for keeping healthy” (Planned Parenthood, 2011). Teachers can incorporate culturally relevant material to the discussion to help young people learn about sexuality in a healthy and positive context” that they can relate to and understand on a personal level (Planned Parenthood, 2011). In addition to providing in the classroom instruction, some schools have turned to outside organizations like Robert Crown Center for Health Education, for assistance with their students. Robert Crown Center offers a program called The Linda program which is “an opportunity for a pre-adolescent “girls only” experience talking about puberty; the setting makes girls comfortable to ask questions about sensitive topics as their educators help to prepare them for the onset of puberty” (Robert Crown Center, 2011). Programs like these promote children to discuss topics about sex and have open communication with adults that are not their parents, “while still recognizing the significance of physical changes and encourages girls to maintain a healthy body image” (Robert Crown Center, 2011). References Cronan, Kate M. (2010, September). //Time to Change//. Retrieved April 2011, from Kids Health: http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/body_stuff/puberty.html#

Greydanus, D. E., & Patel, D. R. (2004). Medical aspects of the female athlete at puberty. //International SportMed Journal//.

Lindberg, Sara M. (2007). Gender, Pubertal Development, and Peer Sexual Harassment Predict Objectified Body Consciousness in Early Adolescence. //Journal of Research on// //Adolescence.//

Planned Parenthood. (2011). //Puberty 101 for Parents//. Retrieved April 2011, from Planned Parenthood: []

P&G School Programs. //Always Changing//. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site: []

Robert Crown Center for Health Education. (2011). Linda – Puberty Education for Girls. Retrieved April 2011, from Robert Crown Center: []

Sneed, Carl D. (2008). Parent-Adolescent Communication About Sex: The Impact of Content and Comfort on Adolescent Sexual Behavior. //Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention in// //Children & Youth.//

Whitaker, D. J., & Miller K.S. (March 2000). Parent-Adolescent Discussions about Sex and Condoms: Impact on Peer Influences of Sexual Risk Behavior. //Journal of Adolescent// //Research.//