All My Children

From a physical standpoint, the main event of adolescence is puberty, which serves as the physiological bridge between childhood and adulthood.

Puberty: The stage of maturation in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction. (From the Latin puber: “adult.”)

Rapid growth and body changes during these years are to a large degree brought about by interactions between several hormones, biochemical compounds that are created in one part of the body and sent via the bloodstream to have a specific effect somewhere else. These chemical messages provoke an impressive number and variety of responses throughout the body. All of the hormones and the glands that secrete them are collectively known as the endocrine system. Continue Reading »

Changes in size and shape occur at a predictable rate from year to year for most children between the ages of five and eleven. And yes, growth really does take place in spurts rather than in a slow and steady climb. Both boys and girls typically gain two inches in height and six to seven pounds each year. This may vary, of course. Your child’s doctor will continue to mark her progress on a growth chart to confirm that she is maintaining an appropriate rate from year to year; this will also alert the doctor to any significant changes. You can get a rough idea of your child’s eventual adult height from the growth curve on her medical chart.

One development that might catch you off guard during this period is the beginning of puberty. You might not suspect that your fifth grader is poised at the dawn of her reproductive years, but the first event of this process for girls— the appearance of breast buds—occurs, on average, at age ten. Continue Reading »