Puberty Pamphlet

PUBERTY
PAMPHLET
A
s children grow older there are various body changes especially their private parts. This process is known as puberty or sexual maturity. During puberty, the bodies of both boys and girls begin to change as it gets ready for reproduction and producing sex cell. These changes that occur can be embarrassing and many may they feel shy to talk about it (Hibbert, 2004).
T
he age of puberty vary between boys and girls. The physical change occurs in girls between the ages of 10 and 14 compared to boys who experience the physical changes after the age of 12 to 16 years of age. Among girls the breasts start growing bigger, hair starts growing under the armpits and pubic areas. The last physical change is menstruation (National institute of health, 2007).
I
n boys, the penis and testicles start getting bigger, hair also begins to grow in the armpits and the pubic area. The last stages involve the change in the voice, the voice becomes deeper. Muscles grow as shoulders become broader. The facial hair starts to grow at a much later stage. The only similarity between puberty in both girls and boys is that hair grows in the armpits and the pubic parts (National institute of health, 2007).
S
exual maturity is stimulated by two hormones that is the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The pituitary glands secrete these sex hormones. The pituitary gland therefore controls the sexual maturation and reproduction process. The luteinizing hormone and the Follicle stimulating hormone act on the ovaries and testes in order to produce sperm and egg maturity. L.H (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) are also called gonadotrophins (Pituitary, 2012).
D
uring puberty, boys are often guided by community elders or their fathers this process is also known as the initiation Young boys are taught on how to become men. Boys rely on getting information from their closest male relative. Boys need guidance so that they know what to expect and how they can adapt to the changes that they are going through. The main hormone in boys is the testosterone (Price, 2005).
M
enstruation is probably the peak of puberty in girls. There are so many myths concerning the periods for instance many roman and Greek writers described the menstrual blood as both dirty and powerful at the same time. Menstruation came from menses a Latin word which means monthly. Many girls believe that menstrual blood is dirty, however this is not true. Menstrual blood is the purest because it is where a baby develops (Movsessian, 2004).
O
ther than the physical changes, there are also various emotional changes that both boys and girls go through in their adolescent’s years. The age of puberty is characterized by very short tempers, mood swing and some even feel that they need more privacy and may thus avoid family members. All...