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Summary
Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It is a process that usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. It causes physical changes, and affects boys and girls differently.
In girls:
- The first sign of puberty is usually breast development.
- Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits.
- Menstruation (or a period) usually happens last.
In boys:
- Puberty usually begins with the testicles and penis getting bigger.
- Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits.
- Muscles grow, the voice deepens, and facial hair develops as puberty continues.
Both boys and girls may get acne. They also usually have a growth spurt (a rapid increase in height) that lasts for about 2 or 3 years. This brings them closer to their adult height, which they reach after puberty.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- For Parents: What to Expect When Your Child Goes through Puberty (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Physical Development: What's Normal? What's Not? (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Understanding Puberty (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
-
What Are Normal Puberty, Precocious Puberty, and Delayed Puberty?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Symptoms
-
What Are the Symptoms of Puberty, Precocious Puberty, and Delayed Puberty?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Test: Estradiol (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Blood Test: Testosterone (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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Estrogen Levels Test
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
-
How Do Health Care Providers Diagnose Precocious Puberty and Delayed Puberty?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
-
What Are Common Treatments for Problems of Puberty?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Boys and Puberty (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Concerns Boys Have about Puberty (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Concerns Girls Have about Puberty (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
- Girls and Puberty (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Precocious Puberty (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
- Talking to Your Child about Puberty (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Genetics
-
Central precocious puberty: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Familial male-limited precocious puberty: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Puberty
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
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Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Also in Spanish
- KidsHealth (Nemours Foundation)
Children
- All about Puberty (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Body Hair (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Boys and Puberty (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Breasts and Bras (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Changes to Your Breasts (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Timing and Stages of Puberty (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- What's an Adam's Apple? (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)
- When Will I Get My Period? (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Body Odor (For Young Men) (Boston Children's Hospital)
- Body Odor (For Young Women) (Boston Children's Hospital) Also in Spanish
- Can I Stop Myself From Having a Wet Dream? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)
- Delayed Puberty (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Douching (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Everything You Wanted to Know about Puberty (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Gynecomastia (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Why Is My Voice Changing? (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Delayed puberty in boys (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Delayed puberty in girls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Precocious puberty (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Puberty in boys (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Puberty in girls (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish