Girls and Puberty

Puberty is the period during which sexual organs mature and reproduction becomes possible. Girls usually begin to show signs of puberty at about age 11, although puberty can start as early as age 8 or as late as age 13.

Girls show physical signs of development on the average of two years earlier than boys, but differences within the sexes also vary greatly. One teenager may complete puberty before another of the same age begins. Some girls go through puberty in a year, while others take five or six years to mature. Puberty usually last three or four years.

The first physical sign of puberty in girls is swelling around the nipples. Most girls are delighted with the development of "breast buds". Full breast development takes several years, and at mid-puberty the breasts are still soft and shapeless. Pubic hair begins to appear shortly after breast buds.

Girls' growth spurt begins and ends earlier than boys. At age 8, the average girl is about the same height as the average boy. At age 12, she is three or four inches taller. She reaches her full height at age 15, when the boy's growth spurt is just beginning.

The growth spurt also adds inches to the girl's hips. She gains muscle and loses much of her "baby fat". Girls gain less muscle and more fat than do boys, especially in their breasts, arms, buttocks and thighs. Filling out is normal in female development but, at this stage, many girls worry that they are becoming overweight.

Menstruation is the sign that a girl has reached full sexual maturity and is capable of bearing a child. Although the girl's internal sex organs have been growing invisibly throughout life, her first period is a sign that she is able to get pregnant.

In most girls the vaginal opening is covered by the hymen, a flexible membrane that usually has an opening large enough to insert a tampon. Usually the hymen remains in place until the girl has sexual intercourse and its rupture may cause slight pain and bleeding the first time she has sex. Sometimes, however, it is very thin and may rupture during activities such as biking or riding horseback.

Girls also may have problems with oily skin, perspiration and odour during puberty. Many have pimples from time to time and most also have occasional staining in the underarms of their shirts. Careful personal hygiene – taking frequent showers, washing the face several times a day and using deodorant – can help girls manage these problems.

Adolescent girls often feel that their bodies are out of control, that they will never begin puberty, or will never stop growing, and that everything about their appearance is wrong. Usually, the biggest question for them is whether or not they are "normal".

Teens who know more about puberty have a much easier time getting through it than do those who are uninformed. Parents can help by educating their children before puberty occurs. Discussing menstruation with girls is especially important. Unlike other changes, the start of menstruation is dramatic and sudden. The adolescent who is taken by surprise will probably be upset and frightened. However, if a girl is prepared, her parents treat it as a normal part of becoming a woman and respect her desire for privacy, she will likely adjust with little problem.

Teens often are embarrassed to ask questions, so parents may have to initiate these discussions. Parents also need to be alert to indirect or disguised questions. A girl who asks what brand tampons her mother uses may actually be worried because her periods have not yet started. And parents should not be put off by the teen who pretends to know everything.

It would be a mistake to assume that girls only want to discuss puberty with their mothers or that they only want to discuss what happens to females during puberty. Girls need to learn about boys and boys about girls.

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