Adolescence: A Stage of Growth and Change

Class 07 Science

The journey of life of a human can be divided into different stages - infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Each person experiences these stages at their own pace, and the duration of each stage may vary from one individual to another.

From infancy to adulthood, our bodies undergo various changes. Until around 10-12 years of age, most changes are related to height and weight. After this, other noticeable changes begin to occur, marking the onset of adolescence. This is a period of rapid growth and development, typically occurring between the ages of 10-19. During adolescence, the body prepares for adulthood.

Humans, like most other living beings, can not reproduce immediately after their birth. Their bodies need to grow and reach a stage of maturity to be able to reproduce. As humans grow and develop, they experience significant physical, emotional, and behavioural changes, along with the ability to reproduce.

Adolescence

This stage starts around 10 years of age and can continue up to the age of 19. It is usually a stage of development between childhood and adulthood, and is called adolescence.

Some of the characteristic changes, like change in voice, the growth of facial and chest hair in boys, and the development of breasts in girls are not directly involved in the process of reproduction. However, these characteristic changes help distinguish males from females. For this reason, they are called secondary sexual characteristics.

Secondary sexual characteristics are natural signs that the body is preparing for adulthood. They mark the onset of puberty. Puberty is the stage in which the body of an adolescent undergoes external and internal changes to develop into an adult capable of reproduction.

Increase in height

From birth, our body undergoes continuous growth and development including an increase in height. However, the increase in height becomes more prominent during adolescence.

Changes in body structure, weight gain, and strength

As boys grow, it might be seen that along with growing taller, they gain weight, their shoulders might become a bit broader, and their chests may get wider.

Girls also undergo changes in height and weight, and other body changes like development of breasts.

Changes in voice

In adolescent boys, the growth of the voice box leads to a voice that sounds hoarse. The voice box is a structure in our throat that helps us to speak. The growth may be seen as a bump in the throat region and is called the Adam’s apple. However, it is not noticeable in every individual. The voice box also grows in adolescent girls but it is not as big as in the boys, leading to only slight changes in voice.

Appearance of hair in different parts of body

Both boys and girls experience the growth of hair in different parts of their bodies, such as the armpits and pubic region.

Boys often develop facial hair, which later grows into a moustache and a beard as they move towards adulthood. Some boys may also develop chest hair and back hair, though few boys may have no significant hair growth. Variations in and timing of appearance of hair growth is completely normal.

Changes in facial skin: emergence of pimples

Another common occurrence during the adolescent years is a skin condition called acne, in which small, reddish pimples appear. These are commonly visible on the face. Acne occurs due to an increase in oily secretions from the skin during adolescence that can clog the skin pores and lead to infections. While acne is a condition, pimples are a manifestation of it.

Changes that Indicate Reproductive Capability

Adolescence is marked not only by observable changes but also by internal changes that are not visible from the outside. One such change is the maturation of various parts involved in the process of reproduction.

Both boys and girls experience such changes gradually, and these changes are a natural part of the process of growing up. An important internal change associated with adolescent girls is the onset of the menstrual cycle.

It recurs generally every 28-30 days and is more commonly known as ‘the period’. Many healthy girls may have longer or shorter menstrual cycles ranging from 21–35 days. The menstrual cycle is an important natural process and is one of the signs of good reproductive health. The phase of the cycle when blood discharge occurs from the body is referred to as menstruation. It may last for three to seven days. Some girls may feel pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen during these days. Usually, by the age of 45-55, menstruation stops naturally, marking the end of the reproductive capability in a woman’s life.

Hormones

Many changes in adolescence, including menstruation and other signs of puberty, are mainly due to hormones - certain chemicals produced in our bodies. Hormones play a crucial role in regulating various aspects of growth and development, contributing to the proper functioning of the body. They are produced in different parts of the body and are released at an appropriate time in response to signals from the brain. Some hormones influence mood and behaviour.