GRADE 6 2020-2021

Puberty

Puberty is when a child's body begins to develop and change as they become an adult. Girls develop breasts and start their periods. Boys develop a deeper voice and facial hair will start to appear. The average age for girls to begin puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12. But it's completely normal for puberty to begin at any point from the ages of 8 to 14. Puberty is different for everyone, so don't worry if you reach puberty before or after your friends. The process can take up to 4 years.

It's completely normal for puberty to begin at any point from the ages of 8 to 14. The process can take up to 4 years.

Signs of Puberty in Girls

The first sign of puberty in girls is usually that their breasts begin to develop. It's normal for one breast to start to develop several months before the other one. Pubic hair also starts to grow, and some girls may notice more hair on their legs and arms.

After a year or so of puberty beginning, and for the next couple of years:

girls' breasts continue to grow and become fuller
around 2 years after beginning puberty, girls usually have their first period
pubic hair becomes coarser and curlier
underarm hair begins to grow – some girls also have hair in other parts of their body, such as their top lip, and this is completely normal
girls start to sweat more
girls often get acne – a skin condition that shows up as different types of spots, including whiteheads and blackheads
girls go through a growth spurt – from the time their periods start
hips begin to widen
most girls gain weight (which is normal) as their body shape changes – girls develop more body fat along their upper arms, thighs and upper back; their hips grow rounder and their waist gets narrower

After about 4 years of puberty in girls:

breasts becomes adult-like
pubic hair has spread to the inner thigh
genitals should now be fully developed
girls stop growing taller

First signs of puberty in boys

The first sign of puberty in boys is usually that their testicles get bigger and the scrotum begins to thin and redden. Pubic hair also starts to appear at the base of the penis.

Later signs of puberty in boys

After a year or so of puberty starting, and for the next couple of years:

the penis and testicles grow and the scrotum gradually becomes darker
pubic hair becomes thicker and curlier
underarm hair starts to grow
boys start to sweat more
breasts can swell slightly temporarily – this is normal and not the same as "man-boobs"
boys may have "wet dreams" (involuntary ejaculations of semen as they sleep)
their voice "breaks" and gets permanently deeper – for a while, a boy might find his voice goes very deep one minute and very high the next
boys often develop acne – a skin condition that shows up as different types of spots, including whiteheads and blackheads
boys go through a growth spurt and become taller and more muscular

After about 4 years of puberty in boys

genitals look like an adult's and pubic hair has spread to the inner thighs
facial hair begins to grow and boys may start shaving
boys get taller at a slower rate and stop growing completely at around 16 years of age (but may continue to get more muscular)
most boys will have reached full adult maturity by the age of 18

For more information about puberty, go to: