Teenage years. Physiological and psychological changes. Recommendations to parents. Physical changes in adolescents

It is well known that the entire human life cycle can be conditionally divided into three main stages: maturation , mature age and unfortunately aging . During the transition from one period to another, critical age periods, during which qualitative changes occur in the growth and development of the organism, its interaction with environment.
One of these very responsible periods is adolescence (puberty) . This is a period of time when the biological and psychological restructuring of the body takes place, leading to maturity. What is happening at this time?

Physiological changes

During this period, there is a very rapid biological maturation of the body. Some researchers even talk about "physiological storm" referring to the changes that take place during adolescence. Nature seems to be in a hurry to complete its creation and in this haste does not notice that there are still many “flaws” in it.
Bones grow so fast that muscle tissue cannot keep up with the growth of the skeleton. Because of this, there are often pains in the muscles, which surprises and frightens the teenagers themselves and their parents. Dramatically changing appearance: the figure becomes awkward, the arms and legs are long and thin, the movements are awkward and clumsy.
Many begin to be ashamed of their height, and in connection with this, stoop, trying to reduce their height and catch up with the rest of the class. Others, on the contrary, are worried because of their supposedly small stature. Young girls begin to worry about their alleged fullness, dissatisfied with the proportions of the body. In fact, most of these manifestations of the temporary order will disappear after a while.

Contradictions in change

In the physiological processes that occur in the body of a teenager, there are internal contradictions. The costs of growth are so great that during this period a person often feels tired, the need for additional rest. This is the time of an internal contradictory and often conflicting state of losing the familiar and gaining a new physical "I".
Any changes in the state of the body awaken anxiety: physical and puberty are primarily questionable: “Am I developing right?” Some researchers call it a complex "ugly duckling" : a person compares himself with peers who are experiencing the same. But he sees only their appearance, and not their experiences, which is why he comes to the conclusion that he is not like that; during this period, no one knows what it will be like, and the imagination draws the worst. Doubts and anxiety give themselves out as irritability, deliberate "loudness" of clothes, hairstyles, manners.

Hormonal changes in the body

The most important influence on the formation of a teenager during the period of growing up is hormones. The endocrine glands produce the same hormones in both women and men. The exception is gonads : in men - testicles that produce sex hormones androgens (mostly testosterone), and in women - ovaries that produce estrogen and progesterone.
In addition to secretion, the sex glands also perform another function: sex cells mature in them - spermatozoa in men and eggs in women. The activation and complex interaction of growth hormones and sex hormones cause intense physical and physiological development.

External changes

Outwardly, this is manifested primarily by a growth spurt, a change in figure, the appearance secondary sexual characteristics . The period of puberty in girls begins, as a rule, at 10-11 years old, i.e. somewhat earlier than boys.
As it was said, during this period there is a rapid growth. In girls, unlike boys, there is a marked increase in top part torso, the hips become wider, the figure becomes rounded. The external genital organs increase, the skin on them darkens, hair begins to grow in the armpits, and the mammary glands begin to develop. Then, after about 2 years from the onset of puberty, the first menstruation appears.
The boy's figure also changes: the shoulders become wider, and the pelvis narrower, the legs are longer and more muscular; the skeleton grows rapidly. The annual increase in height in some boys reaches 10 cm. Hair begins to grow on the pubis, armpits and on the face (first over upper lip, on the chin, and then on the cheeks). The cartilages of the larynx increase and change, and the vocal cords become thicker - the voice "breaks" and in the future its timbre becomes lower.
Under the influence of male sex hormones, secretion increases sebaceous glands especially on the skin of the back and face. With insufficient hygiene care often appears acne. As a rule, by the age of 14, the production and excretion of sperm (a fluid produced by the testicles and containing male germ cells - spermatozoa) begins. Significant changes also occur in the genitals: the testicles and penis increase (in length and thickness). Their skin darkens.
All these changes concern physiological aspect. But it is also important to remember what is happening in the inner world of a teenager.

Psychological features adolescence

It often seems to parents that childhood is the most carefree and easy stage of life. Perhaps this can be said about preschoolers and younger students. But not just for teenagers. In addition to those described physiological changes the personality of a teenager changes drastically. What happens during adolescence?
Briefly, the main features of adolescence can be described as follows:

• teenager is getting emotionally unstable , quick-tempered, irritable and very sensitive to external evaluations;
• teenager is determined with his gender identity , begins to think about relationships with the opposite sex and experiences the first experience of sexual arousal;
• teenager, greatly changing physically, changes and inner self image , begins to relate differently to himself as a whole, to his appearance, to his new social role;
• teenager changes his mind self-awareness - he begins to think differently, feel differently, he has new values ​​​​and goals.

Tasks of adolescence

Such a picture is obtained if we consider this period from a distance. If you look at everything through the eyes of the teenager himself, then the picture changes: instead of a simple statement of facts, real and very difficult life tasks which are sometimes difficult for adults to solve. What happens?
A teenager is no longer a child and not yet an adult. But he has to realize himself, understand what he wants and what he can, build his own inner world and learn to communicate effectively with the outside world. At the same time, the teenager also needs to decide on the choice of profession, learn how to find mutual language with peers, change relationships with parents ... And all these tasks confront a teenager at the same time.

Internal position of a teenager

It is also important to remember that the position in which the teenager is at this time is very vulnerable. On the one hand, a teenager wants to be perceived as an adult, seeks to defend his rights. On the other hand, he does not have life experience, knowledge, necessary skills.
Instability in the position of a teenager brings and changing self-esteem . At this age, it is very important to feel a unique, significant person. But just at this time, the teenager is faced with serious criticism: he could have studied better, and it is high time to become independent.
Imagine how a teenager feels. Briefly, it can be described as prolonged stress which can spread to the whole family. What can be done to safely survive this, undoubtedly, difficult period for both parents and teenagers themselves?

What can help?

Firstly , adolescents should be told about the need care and respect for yourself and your body , to remind them that they are becoming adults, and this is not easy. Each person is unique, unique in his own way, and this must be understood and appreciated! And you have to be respectful of your individuality.
Secondly It is important for adults to understand and help understand a teenager what is happening in his life . Knowing that many processes are caused by a sharp restructuring of the body will help to deal with such difficult changes more easily. Emotional instability, drastic changes in the mood, the inconsistency of the position are the main problems of this age stage- all these are consequences of hormonal changes in the body and changes in the structure and functioning of the brain. They are inevitable and correct. Awareness of this fact can significantly reduce the anxiety of adolescents and misunderstanding, sometimes disappointment, of parents.
Third , teenagers at this time can help experience of his parents and close adults . Talking heart to heart, sharing own experience and talking about your feelings, you help a teenager to know himself and the world around him. If a teenager understands and pays attention to his inner space, he can more easily integrate into new for him, already adult, social interactions.
And finally , the main help is attentive, caring and respectful attitude to each other . That's the only way you can save trusting relationship and without loss to go through this difficult period. And remember: any difficult period ends, the relationship remains.

Puberty usually begins during adolescence. During this period the body child will pass through a series of biological changes: rapid growth, weight gain, development of sex organs, growth of body hair.

These changes mean that yesterday's child is gradually turning into an adult.

What is puberty?

These are successive biological and physical changes in children's body, which lead to the development of secondary sexual characteristics and the emergence of the possibility of conception and the birth of children.

adult conversation

When does puberty begin?

Puberty begins in everyone different time. As a rule, in girls it occurs between the ages of 10 and 14, and in boys - from 12 to 16.

Nowadays, teenage girls develop faster than boys. So, average age the appearance of the first menstruation in 1900 was 15 years. In 1990 - already 12.5 years.

Scientists believe that factors such as overnutrition and obesity cause early puberty in girls.

According to some studies, starting too early hormonal changes in a child's body may increase the risk of cancer later in life.

What physical changes occur during puberty?

Development of secondary sexual characteristics

The first sign of puberty in girls is development of the mammary glands. It begins around the age of 11, along with the start of the production of female sex hormones - estrogens. Then it usually happens Hair Growth on the pubis and in the armpits.

The next stage is the beginning of ovulation (the maturation of eggs ready for fertilization in the ovaries) and start of menstruation.

The main sign of the onset of puberty in boys is an increase in the size of the testicles. It starts at about 11 years old and lasts about six months. Then, in adolescents, the penis increases in size, and pubic and armpit hair appears.

Under the influence of the male hormone testosterone, which begins to be produced in the body, in boys voice becomes rougher And muscle mass increases. At the same time, the boys begin to produce sperm capable of fertilization.

The last stage of puberty appearance of facial hair.

growth spurt

Puberty in both sexes is usually accompanied by a rapid growth of the body in height. During this period, it increases by an average of 17-18 percent.

In girls, the growth spurt begins an average of two years earlier - about six months before the first menstruation.

Skeleton growth

Puberty is characterized by growth and increased bone density in adolescents. In girls and boys, this process peaks immediately after the growth spurt.

Important! Bones first grow in length, and only then does bone density increase. Because of this, adolescents are prone to high fracture risk.

Weight change

During puberty, girls begin active formation adipose tissue in the body, mainly on the thighs and buttocks.

In boys, fat also begins to be deposited, but outwardly it is not so noticeable, since in parallel there is an increased growth of muscle tissue. By the end of puberty, her mass in a male teenager becomes one and a half times more than in a girl of the same height and weight.

Other changes

Together with puberty in adolescents, the final formation of cardio-vascular system and lungs. This leads to an increase in the efficiency of these organs. This process is especially effective if a teenager goes in for sports.

The most important

Puberty is not only the appearance of menstruation in girls or facial hair in boys. It is also a period active growth and development of the whole organism of a teenager.

During adolescence, each person begins the process of cardinal physiological changes.

Physical changes during adolescence

At the age of 11-13, girls and boys increase the level of production of male and female hormones. This contributes to the manifestation of primary and secondary sexual characteristics, which are the first harbingers of growing up.

The result of an increase in hormonal levels is a voice mutation, hair growth on the face and body in boys, an increase in the mammary glands and hips in girls. Boys body acquires male forms. With the end of puberty, the body of girls is actually ready for future motherhood.

Many physical changes during adolescence can cause conflicting feelings in boys and girls, from pride to shame. You should know that such changes should not be feared, because without them the process of growing up is impossible.

Strengthening growth; factors that affect growth

After the manifestation of primary sexual characteristics in adolescents, a growth spurt follows. The reason for the acceleration of growth is an increase in the level of sex hormones in the body, as well as a substance such as insulin-like growth factor I.

Due to the active hormonal background, adolescents are characterized by rapid growth, which can last for two to three years. According to statistics, the growth spurt in girls occurs a year earlier than in boys. It's caused more early start puberty in women.

After the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics, hormonal background decreases significantly. The pituitary gland stops producing stimulating hormones, which leads to the beginning of the closure of the growth plate in the bones of a teenager. Some teenagers have growth spurts in transition period not visible.

This is caused by a delay in the onset of puberty, which occurs individually, or dysfunction of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland (the areas of the brain responsible for growth). As a rule, such boys and girls catch up with their peers a little later in growth.

Acceleration

The concept of acceleration came into scientific use relatively recently - in the middle of the century before last. Acceleration is the acceleration of the physical development of a person, compared with previous generations. In the 1950s, scientists discovered that average height men are about 6 cm taller than their compatriots who lived a hundred years ago.

Later studies of the growth of women proved the theory of the acceleration of mankind. According to statistics, the average height of each person increases by about 3 cm per century.

To date, there are three main hypotheses that give an explanation of human acceleration:

1. Improving the quality of food taken by a person. So the acceleration indicators increase during the period of peace, and decrease during times of devastation, famine and war, when humanity feels a shortage of food.

2. Accelerated development intellectual abilities human

3. Acceleration is considered as a result of the implementation in public life new technologies. In the 30s, such an influence was attributed to electricity, in our time - to computer technology.

Adolescence is conventionally divided into three sub-periods:

The first is the preparation period, the second is directly transitional age, the third - post-transitional age (post-puberty), which is characterized by the completion of biological and physiological formation. The first of the indicated periods can be conditionally equated to the younger adolescence, and post puberty attributed to adolescence.

Time frames or age references for designating this period cannot always be applied with an accuracy of up to a year. But, in general, psychologists indicate such figures: from eleven to fifteen to seventeen years of age. Again, we should not forget that there are individual rhythms for each organism and the nature of their flow. Gender differences also affect the nature of the course and duration: for girls, it comes on a couple of years earlier and is not so acute, it lasts a shorter amount of time. Boys puberty takes about four or even five years, but is much more active.

First of all, this abrupt change manifested in the growth, development of sexual characteristics. In general, when we talk about a girl, that she has already become a girl, and yesterday's boy has "matured and grown stronger." This age is determined by the growing interest in opposite sex, to the nuances in communication, a growing sexual activity. Now festivities in the evenings are beginning to be motivated by meetings and dates, and not by football and skipping rope. And preening in front of a mirror is not at all a minute of time, as it used to be.

For a teenager become very topical issues the return of former fears - appearance, shyness, inability to do something, and so on, up to phobias - open or closed space. Thoughts of suicide revolve in every second.

Physiological changes in girls

Girls begin to feel the onset of puberty before the boys and it goes faster for them.

At 8-10 years old, rounding of the hips and buttocks, expansion of the pelvis are already noticeable;

At 9-10 years old, the areola begins to protrude above the skin of the breast;

At 10-11 years old, the first pubic hair and in the armpits appear, further development of the mammary glands is noted.

At 11-12 years old, the first menstruation may occur (most often at 13-14 years old)

At the age of 15-16, menstruation becomes regular, further hair growth of the pubis and armpits is observed. Simultaneously with puberty, there is an increased growth of the body. The peak growth rate falls on average at 12 years and can reach 9 cm per year.

At the age of 16-18, a gradual stop of growth occurs.

Physiological changes in boys

Adolescence is the period of life from 12-13 to 17-18 years. During this period, the child's puberty occurs, which is associated with accelerated physical development which is intended to prepare him for adult life and loads. Also, the final development during this period is received by all internal organs and systems.

In physiological terms, adolescence is characterized by an increase in the production of a number of hormones. Their the right combination and interaction are the key to timely and proper development child.

In boys, the onset and speed of puberty fluctuate within fairly wide limits. Most often, the onset of puberty occurs at 12-14 years.

At 10-11 years old, there is an increase in the size of the testicles and penis;

At the age of 11-12, pigmentation of the scrotum and the beginning of pubic hair growth become noticeable;

At 12-13 years of age, pubic hair growth increases, there is a further increase in the penis and testicles;

Adolescence is a period of rapid and uneven growth and development of the body, when there is an intensive growth of the body, the muscular apparatus is being improved, and the process of ossification of the skeleton is underway. Inconsistency, uneven development of the heart and blood vessels, as well as increased activity of the endocrine glands often lead to some temporary circulatory disorders, increased blood pressure, cardiac stress in adolescents, as well as an increase in their excitability, which can be expressed in irritability, fatigue, dizziness and palpitations. Nervous system a teenager is not always able to withstand strong or long-acting stimuli and under their influence often goes into a state of inhibition or, conversely, strong excitement.
One of the first and most noticeable bodily changes is a sharp increase in growth.
Statistics different years indicates that children are currently taller than their ancestors. Most likely, this is due to good nutrition, medical care, exercise rest and the opportunity to recuperate. Today, a person becomes sexually mature much earlier than in the past.
Current data show that the average age of puberty has approached 13 years. Moreover, growth changes occur differently in boys and girls. Girls grow fastest around 12 years of age. In boys, the maximum rate of increase in height and weight occurs at about 14 years of age. In childhood, girls are usually shorter and weigh less than boys of the same age. However, they begin to mature earlier and therefore, from the age of 10, they overtake the boys in weight, and from the age of 12 - in height. This ratio of height and weight of girls and boys persists until about 14 years of age.
Human growth is influenced by many factors, including correct mode life, in particular the mode of work, rest, sleep and nutrition, physical education and sports. Studies show that children who are well-nourished during their years of active growth grow taller than those who did not have good nutrition. IN modern society the quality of nutrition also affects the growth of a teenager. If children eat at the wrong time, dry food, consume a lot of concentrates, then, as a rule, they grow and develop poorly.

The growth of the child is also influenced by the political and economic situation in the country. All kinds of military conflicts lead to mass starvation and poor nutrition. During the Second World War and in the first decade after its end, many children were stunted.
Scientific evidence indicates that the process of human growth is currently accelerating. Modern children and adolescents enter the period earlier rapid growth and stop growing earlier than children and adolescents 60 or 70 years ago. A normal healthy girl is 1.3-2.5 cm taller than her mother. At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, girls stopped growing by the age of 18-19, and today - by 16 years. Over the past hundred years, the height of an adult male has increased by 6-9 cm. In 1880, men reached their final height only at the age of 23-25 ​​years. Currently, they reach it by the age of 18. The modern average man wears shoes in size 42-43, and his grandfather wore size 39. The width of the seat in theaters of the 18th century was 45 cm. Today, a comfortable seat must be at least 60 cm wide.