CHANGES IN THE HEALTH

DIMENSIONS DURING
ADOLESCENCE
TOPIC

OBJECTIVES

KNOWLEDGE:

Describe

changes

in

different aspects of growth thatnhappen to

boys and girls during puberty
AFFECTIVE:

Reflect

the

importance

of

awareness in changes in the stage of

adolescence.
PSYCHOMOTOR: Explain that the patterns
of

changes

during

puberty

for

each

VS

CHANGES THAT OCCUR

DURING PUBERTY

A gland in the brain, called the

pituitary
gland,
increases
the
secretion of a hormone called folliclestimulating hormone (FSH) as a child
approaches puberty. . In girls, the
FSH activates the ovaries to start
producing estrogen. In boys, the FSH
causes the production of sperms.

CHANGES IN

BOYS

Changes occur, but they occur

gradually and over a period of time,
rather than as a single event. While
male adolescents differ, the average
ages
when
pubertal
changes
generally happen are the following:
12 to 13 years old
o Start of puberty
o The first pubertal change:
enlargement of the testicles
o Enlargement of the penis starts

 13.5 years old

o Appearance of pubic hair
14 years old
o Nocturnal emissions (or "wet
dreams"):
15 years old
o Growth of hair on the face and
the armpit, voice changes, and acne
appear

CHANGES IN

GIRLS

The average ages when these pubertal

changes occur are the following:
10 to 11 years
o Start of puberty: The first pubertal
change: development of the breast
o Appearance of pubic hair: shortly after
breast development
12 years old
o Underarm hair
10 to 16.5 years old
o Menstrual period

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 adolescent seems to

PHYSICAL CHANGES

Changes
in
circulatory
and
respiratory systemsThe 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 compositionMuscles develop
rapidly, although boys muscles grow
faster than girls. Body fat increases,
although the increase in girls body
fat is more than the boys.

PHYSICAL CHANGES

Other changes:
o There is a sudden increase in
hormone production.
o Bones become harder.
o Sweat and oil glands become
more active.

PRIMARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS

Primary sex characteristics are changes

directly related to sexual reproduction.
1. The boys experience their first
release of seminal fluid or ejaculation
from the penis. 2. The girls experience
menarche or the first release of blood
and fluids from the vagina, later called
menstruation.

PRIMARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS

Boys
The voice becomes deeper.
The Adams 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

PRIMARY SEX
CHARACTERISTICS

Girls
Breasts develop.
The hips become wider than the
shoulders.
Hair grows on the underarm
and pubic area.

CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESCENCE

MENTAL OR INTELLECTUAL
CHANGES

Teenagers showing different

talents/skills/interest as a sign
of mental health
Adolescents
experience
rapid
mental development. There are
changes in
the structure of the brain. These
make it work more efficiently.

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
thingstrying 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
disadvantages 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 adolescents make

 On the other hand, adolescents

have a tendency to become bored
with routine activities; they need to
be challenged.
Adolescents are already capable of
thinking deeply. This helps them
understand proverbs, poems and
figures of speech.
Adolescents also think less of
themselves. This allows them to think

 Adolescents have the skills that

let them control and coordinate
their thoughts with their actions.
Adolescent students can focus
their attention on what they want
to listen to. They can also focus
their attention on two or more
things at the same time.

There
is
likewise
an

EMOTIONAL CHANGES

 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

 Adolescent girls become selfconscious 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 CHANGES


Adolescents
are
very
selfconscious. 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

 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

MORAL-SPIRITUAL CHANGES

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

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

QUESTION:

HOW DO THESE
CHANGES AFFECT US?
IS IT NORMAL?