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Primary Schoolers Puberty
- Puberty is when a
child's body changes, starting to develop into adult size, shape and they
begin to develop sexually. It can begin as early as nine or 10 years or as
late as 17 or 18. Usually girls reach puberty earlier than boys.
- Most children have a
'growth spurt' during puberty where:
- they gain weight, then
height and then muscle mass
- their legs usually
grow first, then the body
- in girls, hips grow
wider; in boys, shoulders grow broader
- the head grows in
length and breadth, the nose and jaw also grow
- the first sign in
girls is usually the growth of breasts
- internal organs grow -
the heart and lungs increase in size; sweat glands become more active
especially those in the arm pits
- the sex organs become
bigger; hair begins to grow in the groin area and armpits; last of all,
for boys, hair grows on the face
- a boy's voice will
deepen.
- Growth at this time is
very rapid. Young people have little time to adjust and are sometimes
unaware of their size and strength. They tend to bump into things a lot
and may break things without meaning to. They also need more food to fuel
these changes.
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