Changes in the health dimensions during puberty

 

Changes in the health dimensions during puberty

Physical Changes

 These are some of the general changes that happen to adolescent boys and girls during puberty:

• There is a rapid increase in height and weight. Boys experience this usually two years later than girls. The head, hands and feet grow faster first, then the arms and legs, and then the chest and shoulders. This is why the body of an dolescent seems to be out of proportion.

• Changes in circulatory and respiratory systems—The heart and lungs grow bigger and work better, so the adolescent becomes stronger and can work longer, although the increase is more in boys than in girls.

• Body composition—Muscles develop rapidly, although boys’ muscles grow faster than girls’. Body fat increases, although the increase in girls’ body fat is more than the boys’.

• Other changes:

o There is a sudden increase in hormone production.

o Bones become harder.

o Sweat and oil glands become more active. 20

 Primary sex characteristics are changes directly related to sexual reproduction.

 The reproductive organs of both boys and girls grow and develop. The boys experience their first release of seminal fluid or ejaculation from the penis. The girls experience menarche or the first release of blood and fluids from the vagina, later called menstruation.

 Secondary sex characteristics are changes not directly related to sexual reproduction.

 Boys

• The voice becomes deeper.

• The Adam’s apple becomes bigger.

• The shoulders become wider than the hips.

• Hair grows on the face, body and pubic area.

• The skin on the upper arms and thighs becomes rough.

 Girls

• Breasts develop.

• The hips become wider than the shoulders.

• Hair grows on the underarm and pubic area.

Mental

The development of their intellectual ability makes adolescents less accepting of what others say. They learn to question what others say. They try to get to the bottom of things—trying to find out what to believe in and what to doubt.

• The adolescents make better decisions because they can evaluate risks and rewards better. They can sense the isadvantages and dangers as well as the advantages and rewards that might happen because of their actions. They can already think well before acting as well as know the importance of planning ahead. These characteristics help dolescents

make better decisions. However, adolescents take more risks than adults because they enjoy the rewards that result from their actions.

• On the other hand, adolescents have a tendency to become bored with routine activities; they need to be challenged.

Emotional

Adolescents are more responsive to rewards and stress.

Adolescents are more emotional and this makes them open to being hurt or in danger.

• Adolescent boys are also sexually active; therefore, they are prone to participate in risky behavior. Due to the sudden increase in the manufacture of hormones, adolescent boys become more aggressive.

• Adolescent girls become self-conscious because of the changes that are happening to them. These also give them a feeling of insecurity.

• Early maturing boys are usually taller and stronger; they have a good body image, so they are more confident, secure and independent.

Social

Adolescents are very self- conscious. They consider approval of friends and other adolescents or peers as very important.

• Adolescents enjoy being with friends, so they stay longer with them after school. They enjoy choosing clothes to wear; they also crave privacy. These sometimes cause conflicts between adolescents and their parents.

 • Young adolescents choose friends who share the same interest with them.

• Adolescents who grow up with family members showing love, guidance and support for each other are less likely to get involved with bad company and engage in fights, vandalism, smoking , drinking, or drug sessions.

Moral-spiritual

Adolescents begin analyzing themselves during this stage. They try to find out who they really are and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. As a result, they understand themselves better and learn to accept and like themselves, including their weaknesses. They learn that house rules imposed by their parents are there to promote order and harmony at home. However, they are not absolute and some are negotiable as they mature. They begin to distinguish between rules that are negotiable and those that are non-negotiable. Non-negotiable rules, like smoking, are imposed because they are for their own good. During adolescence, boys and girls realize what they could become in the

future. This helps them analyze what they are doing and how it could affect their future. This can be scary for some adolescents. It might create conflict between how they look at themselves now and what they want to become.