Adolescence and Puberty: Growth, Development and Lifelong Influence: 

Adolescence and puberty represent a complex period of growth and development, shaping individuals as they transition from childhood to adulthood. It’s a critical time for establishing lifelong habits and behaviors that influence future health and well-being.

What do the terms “phase,” “teenager,” “puberty,” and “reproductive signals” mean when referring to adolescence?

• Phase: Adolescence is a natural phase from around 11 to 18 or 19 years. 
• Teenager: Since this period covers the ‘teens’ (13 to 18 or 19 years of age), adolescents are also called ‘teenagers’. 
• Puberty: It’s marked by physical changes leading to reproductive maturity, referred to as puberty. 
• Signals: Puberty’s main sign is the ability for reproduction, concluding when reproductive maturity is reached.

Metamorphosis of Adolescence: Transformative changes at Puberty

Height Increase During Puberty:

• Sudden Changes: Puberty triggers sudden height increases through the elongation of long bones.
• Growth Rates: It varies, with girls initially growing faster than boys.
• Genetic factors: They influence height, and proper nutrition is crucial for growth.
• Calculation of full height

What role does Puberty play in shaping body changes?

• Puberty induces distinct body changes, such as broader shoulders in boys and widened hips in girls.
• Muscle growth is more prominent in boys, leading to differing body shapes between genders.

Voice Changes in Puberty for Boys and Girls:

• Boys experience voice box growth during puberty, resulting in deeper voices.
• Girls’ larynx remains smaller, contributing to a higher-pitched voice.
• Temporary hoarseness in boys can occur due to uncontrolled muscle growth in the voice box.
• The growing voice box in boys can be seen as a protruding part of the throat called Adam’s apple. 
• In girls, the larynx is hardly visible from the outside because of its small size.

Heightened activity of Sweat and Sebaceous glands during Puberty:

• Puberty leads to heightened activity of sweat and sebaceous glands.
• Increased gland activity often causes acne and pimples on the face.

 Full development of sex organs in boys and girls:

• Male sex organs, including testes and penis, fully develop during puberty.
• Testes begin sperm production.
• In girls, ovaries enlarge, eggs mature, and ovulation begins.

Reaching Mental, Intellectual, and Emotional Maturity Shifts of Adolescence:

• Adolescence signifies a shift in thinking, marked by increased independence and self-consciousness.
• Intellectual development is notable, with heightened learning capacity.
• Emotional adjustments may occur, but these changes are natural aspects of growing up.

Development of Secondary Sexual Characters in Adolescence:

• Reproductive organs, testes, and ovaries produce gametes (sperms and ova).
• Secondary sexual characters develop breasts in girls, facial hair (moustaches and beards) in boys, and chest hair.
  • Hair growth occurs under the arms and in the pubic region, distinguishing gender.
• Hormones, and chemical substances, control adolescent changes. These are secretions from endocrine glands, or the endocrine system.
  • Testosterone, the male hormone, released by testes in boys, triggers changes like facial hair growth.
  • Estrogen, the female hormone, produced by ovaries in girls, leads to breast development.
  • Hormone production is regulated by the pituitary gland.

How do hormones influence puberty and secondary sexual characteristics?

• Endocrine glands release hormones into the bloodstream.
• Hormones travel to specific target sites in the body.
• Testes and ovaries, endocrine glands, secrete sex hormones.
  • Sex hormones influence the development of male and female secondary sexual characters.
• Hormones from the pituitary gland regulate sex hormones.
• The pituitary gland releases various hormones, including those that stimulate ovum maturation in the ovaries and sperm formation in the testes. 

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