What is Puberty?
Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature, i.e. there are physical changes. A girl develops from being a girl to being a woman. A boy develops into a man. It usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. Various factors such as race, nutrition and family history influence the age of puberty.
What is Adolescence?
Adolescence is the period between puberty and adulthood. It is a time of psychological maturation, which a person becomes “adult-like” in behavior. Adolescence is considered to be the period between ages 13 and 19 years. The adolescent experiences not only physical growth and change, but also emotional, psychological, social, and mental change and growth.
What is Puberty in Girls?
At puberty, many changes are happening. These changes happen due to certain hormones that start to appear in the body. They cause body changes and the development of secondary sex characteristics.
- The first sign is that of breast development. The breast starts to appear like a lump under the nipple and gradually increases in size.
- There is a rapid increase in height. This is called a growth spurt. A girl may grow 2 to 4 inches in a year.
- She also puts on weight and the feminine curve starts to develop.
- There is the growth of hair in the armpit and pubic area. Initially, they may be thin and light but slowly they become thick, dark and coarse.
- The appearance of the first period is called menarche. This is like a milestone. This implies that the ovaries are now making an egg each month. At the same time, the uterus makes a lining of tissue and blood. If the egg were to get fertilized then it would grow in the uterus. But when it does not get fertilized then the egg and the tissue is shed at the end of the cycle as menstrual blood commonly known as the period.
Educating your Daughters for the First Period
- When you get your period, you should use sanitary napkins ideally.
- You can use a clean cloth or tampons. The choice depends on whatever you are comfortable with.
- Whatever you use you should maintain good hygiene.
- You must dispose of the used napkins carefully in a dustbin, wrapped in a paper bag.
- In case you are using the cloth then they must be washed properly with soap and water and then allowed to air dry in an open place.
- Tampons must be changed frequently and disposed of properly.
- The cycles may be irregular initially. Gradually they become regular. Normally they come every 28 to 30 days and lasts for about 2 to 7 days.
- During periods one may get mood swings, feel bloated and have period pains. This is commonly called premenstrual syndrome {PMS}.
You can approach Dr. Sangeeta for a detailed education session on what is puberty and how best to be prepared for your first period.
You can also approach Dr. Sangeeta if you have long heavy irregular periods, PMS, too much period pains, facial hair, and acne.
Precocious Puberty
Precocious puberty is when pubertal body changes happen earlier than normal. In girls, precocious puberty is when any of the following develop before age 8:
- First period (menstruation)
- The appearance of the armpit or pubic hair
- Breasts development
- Maturation of secondary sex organs
In most cases, they are no obvious cause for precocious puberty but in some cases, it can be due to certain medical conditions that need attention. It is possible that due to precocious puberty the height of the individual is compromised and one may have psychological and social problems.
It is advisable to seek medical check in case you have any changes that suggest precocious puberty.
