INT103 Human Development: Physical Development in Adolescence Stage

This report provides an overview of the physical development that occurs during adolescence, specifically between the ages of 12 and 18. It focuses on puberty, detailing the hormonal changes, growth spurts, and the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics in both males and females. Key milestones such as menarche in girls and voice changes in boys are discussed. The report also touches on the impact of these physical changes on body image and self-esteem during this critical developmental period. The report references research on motor competence, brain development, and the challenges faced by adolescents during this transformative stage.

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

3
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
seen to elongate (Cattuzo et al., 2016). Around the age of 12 to 13, girls are seen to be
menstruating. This period is called menarche and the females have capability to be pregnant.
Acne and pimple are common in this stage.
Boys and their development:
The males are seen to have increased levels of the hormone called testosterone. This is mainly
seen to trigger the beginning of puberty in males around the age 12 and 14. They are mainly seen
to become taller’ moreover, at the same time, they are also seen to become heavier and even
stronger. The voices of the males are seen to deepen. The shoulders of the boys are seen to
broaden and their hair is seen to grow under the arms and also on the face and even on their
genitals and other parts of the body (Prado & Dewey, 2014). The testes are seen to produce
sperms. The penis and other reproductive organs also enlarged. During this time, the teenage
boys can experience harmless release of semen during sleep that is also called the nocturnal
emissions and wet dreams. Acne and pimple are common in this stage.
Body image:
During this time, the boys believe that their sexual appeal is mainly based upon the ability for the
development of their bodies. It is seen that those boys who have undergone puberty tend s to
have higher self-esteem. They also become confident with their ability for controlling their own
lives. On the other hand, females who are in the post menarcheal are seen to experience
dissatisfaction with their new size and shape. This dissatisfaction are seen to lead to feelings of
inadequacy as well as loss of control and decreased self esteem (Pecora et al., 2017).

4
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
Conclusion:
The individuals belonging to the age range of 12 to 18 are seen to experience puberty in this age.
This is the period when individuals are seen to become sexually mature physically and
production of hormones is mainly seen to help in this procedure. Females are seen to develop
matured reproductive organs along with development of breast, broadening of hips, growth of
pubic hair and others. Menstruation is an important aspect of this age in females. The males are
also seen to develop sexually with appearance of pigmented skin, voice change, deepening of
voice, changes in hormones enlargement of genitals and others. Coarse pigmented facial hairs
are also observed.

5
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
References:
Cattuzzo, M. T., dos Santos Henrique, R., Ré, A. H. N., de Oliveira, I. S., Melo, B. M., de Sousa
Moura, M., ... & Stodden, D. (2016). Motor competence and health related physical
fitness in youth: A systematic review. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 19(2),
123-129.
Freud, A. (2018). Normality and pathology in childhood: Assessments of development.
Routledge.
Ivashchenko, O., Khudolii, O., Iermakov, S., Lochbaum, M. R., Cieslicka, M., Zukow, W., ... &
Yermakova, T. (2016). Intra-group factorial model as the basis of pedagogical control
over motor and functional fitness dynamic of 14-16 years old girls. Journal of Physical
Education and Sport, 16(4), 1190.
Karmiloff-Smith, A. (2018). Development itself is the key to understanding developmental
disorders. In Thinking Developmentally from Constructivism to Neuroconstructivism(pp.
97-117). Routledge.
Noble, K. G., Houston, S. M., Brito, N. H., Bartsch, H., Kan, E., Kuperman, J. M., ... & Schork,
N. J. (2015). Family income, parental education and brain structure in children and
adolescents. Nature neuroscience, 18(5), 773.
Pecora, P., Whittaker, J., Barth, R., Maluccio, A. N., DePanfilis, D., & Plotnick, R. D.
(2017). The child welfare challenge: Policy, practice, and research. Routledge.

6
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN
Prado, E. L., & Dewey, K. G. (2014). Nutrition and brain development in early life. Nutrition
reviews, 72(4), 267-284.
Simmons, R. G. (2017). Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and school
context. Routledge.