Physical Development of Children during Adolescence

Running head: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
Introduction:
Adolescence is the word that is mainly used to describe the transition between the
childhood as well as adulthood. This time mainly encompasses the age from twelve to that of
nineteen (Simmons, 2017). Researchers are of the opinion that this time is of tremendous change
as well as discovery of the individuals as at this stage, emotional, physical and even intellectual
growth takes place at a dizzying speed. This age also challenges the teenagers for adjusting to the
new body as well as social identity and expanding worldview (Pecora et al., 2017). This report
would mainly focus on the aspect of physical development of such individuals during the period
of 12 to 18 years shedding more light into the concept.
Puberty:
This period is mainly considered of the time of the adolescence when rapid physical
development takes place by the signaling of the completion of childhood which is then
demarcated by the beginning of the sexual maturity. Although puberty is seen to begin at
different period in case of different people, the boys and girls after the completion of this phase
becomes matured enough for sexual reproduction (Ivaschenko et al., 2016). The speed by which
the adolescents are seen to mature may vary from one to another. During this time, hormones are
mainly seen to be the contributing factor for the development of the primary sex characters that
involves the structures that are directly involved in sexual reproduction. Hormones are also
responsible for the secondary sex character development as well that mainly involves the
secondary sex characters which are actually the structures that are indirectly involved in
reproduction (Karmiloff et al., 2018). Examples of the primary sex characters that grow during

2
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
this period is the uterus in case of that of the females and the penis in that of the case of the boys
and that of secondary reproductive characters are the growth of pubic hair in the genders
Onset of puberty:
At the onset of the puberty, the pituitary gland is mainly seen to stimulate the hormonal
modifications throughout the body. This includes the adrenal, endocrine and even sexual glands.
Researchers are of the opinion the timing of the puberty is the result from the combination of
genetic, environmental as well as the health factors (Noble et al., 2015).
Adolescent growth spurt:
Adolescent growth spurt is one of the early sign of maturation that includes a high level increase
in mainly the height as well as weight. Again, it is seen that the female growth spurt is mainly
seen to begin between ages 10 and 14 and is mainly seen to end by the age of 16. The male
growth spurt is seen to begin between the ages of 10 and 16 and is mainly seen to end by the age
of 18 (Freud, 2018).
Menstruation and menarche:
Girls generally are seen to begin puberty a few years before that of boys mainly around the age
of 11 to 12. Researchers are of the opinion that increasing of mainly the levels of female
hormone of estrogen help in triggering the beginning of puberty in the females. They are seen to
grow taller. Again, many other signs are also seen like their hips are also seen to get widened.
Their breasts are seen to become rounder as well as larger. Hairs grow on the legs and their
uterus is seen to get enlarged, around the age of 12 to 13, most of the girls are seen to have hairs
grown in their armpit, around their genitals. Their labia is seen to thicken and their clitoris is