Physical development of adolescents

In adolescence, which is oftencalled the transition age, girls enter 9-10 years, and boys a little later - at 11-12 years. Actually teenagers girls are about to 13 years, and boys to 15, i.e. about three years. But also adolescents are often called young men or girls who have not yet reached the age of 16-18, the age when the formation of body proportions, the growth and ossification of the skeleton is completed. In general, the period from 10-12 to 16-18 years is usually called the period of puberty.

What happens to the body of a child in adolescence?

Physical development of girls and boysoccurs at several different rates. Until 13-14 years, girls are significantly ahead of boys in growth, weight, they have a faster increase in the thorax, but after 14 years, all development rates are higher in boys. By the age of 14-15 both boys and girls have the formation of secondary sexual characteristics.

On average, for the period of puberty, the massbodies of adolescents increases by 34 kg in young men and 25 kg in girls, height - by 35 cm and 25 cm, respectively. Behind all these external changes is the tense activity of all organs and systems of the body.

Formation of the skeleton, nervous, endocrine,cardiovascular systems in adolescence is still ongoing. Hence the characteristic awkwardness and angularity of adolescents, sharp mood swings, frequent complaints of adolescents to general weakness or even to the heart. But this is perfectly normal, since not all body systems develop evenly and, for example, an increase in the mass of the heart muscle (myocardium) may slightly lag behind the increase in the body weight of the adolescent.

On average, at rest, the pulsethe fifteen-year-old is 70 bpm. in boys and 72 bpm. in girls. Already by the age of 18 the teenager's pulse is approaching that of an adult: 62 beats per minute. in young men and 70 beats per minute. in girls. Arterial pressure in adolescents of seventeen years is also approaching "adult" indicators and is 120/65 and 115/60 in young men and girls, respectively.

The physical development of a teenagerinfluence also on his social and personal development. After all, acceleration, i.e. acceleration of growth and development of adolescents in comparison with previous generations, gives rise to certain contradictions between physical and social maturity.

For example, earlier, in the 30 - 40-ies of the twentieth century,the onset of puberty coincided with the beginning of labor activity and independent life, and to date already fully physically and mentally formed 17-18-year-old boys and girls are still in the position of children.

Modern adolescents rarely engage in physicalwork or sport, practically do not perform any domestic duties, do not feel responsible for their actions. Hence: poor health, infantilism, laziness. Therefore, adolescents really need help - the help of loving and caring parents, which will help them to fully develop and enter adulthood.