Early puberty. Premature puberty in girls

Puberty is a frightening and at the same time exciting period in the life of any girl. Your body is developing, your period is starting, and your mood is constantly changing! You may not be sure if you are really going through puberty. Especially due to the fact that it usually begins long before the onset of symptoms. So, you will understand if you have begun puberty if you find some changes in your body, as well as changes in your behavior and emotions.

Steps

Changes in the body

Measure your height. Have you noticed that you need new clothes, shoes and underwear? When you reach puberty, you may gain some extra weight and grow a little. If you notice an increase in height, you may also find other signs.

Pay attention to your body odor. During puberty, a hormonal surge begins, due to which the sweat glands become more active. The released sweat mixes with bacteria, which causes a specific smell. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with bad breath, including:

Watch for changes in the shape and size of your breasts. Pay attention to the area around the nipples on the chest. Gently press on this place with your fingers and try to feel small hard lumps inside the chest. If you feel such lumps on the right and left breasts, then your mammary glands have begun to develop.

Check if your pubic hair has started to grow. Pay attention to the pubic area and the area around the vagina, run your finger to feel if you have started to grow hair. They can be soft and short, straight and thick, or rough and curly. The presence of pubic hair is a sign of puberty.

Stand in front of a mirror to examine your figure. In addition to the feeling of "lumps" in the chest and the appearance of pubic hair, you may notice that your figure has begun to change. Have you noticed that the clothes began to sit on you differently? Pay attention to changes in your figure - a mirror will help determine whether you have begun puberty. There are other parts of the body that can become a little more rounded and larger, these include:

Wait a couple of years and you'll have underarm and leg hair. Gently touch your armpits or look in the mirror to see if your hair has started to grow. Also take a close look at your feet. On the legs, hair can be darker, thicker, and more visible. About a year or two after you notice your pubic hair, pay attention to your legs and underarms.

Watch for vaginal discharge. Look at your underwear - are there traces of discharge? They can be found as early as a year or two after your breasts have begun to develop. You will most likely feel vaginal discharge in your panties. They can be clear and watery, or they can be white and thick like mucus. This discharge is normal and is a clear sign that you are going through puberty.

Make an appointment with your doctor or have someone you trust check to see if the color and smell of your discharge is normal. An abnormal color and smell may be a sign of an infection.

Wait for menses. You may have your period within six months of starting vaginal discharge. Notice if there are any traces of blood on the underwear or around the vaginal area. This may mean that you are going through puberty and are having your first period. For many girls, the first period is the most frightening and exciting part of puberty.
- After the first period, the menstrual cycle may be irregular.
- During your first period, your stomach may swell. When this happens, you will feel that the tummy has become fuller and swollen than usual.
- During your period, you may have cramps, back pain, or headaches.
Examine the skin for any changes. Pay attention to whether the skin has become more oily, whether it has more acne and irritation. Changes in the body also affect the skin. Pimples and oily skin on the face, neck, chest/back are also signs of puberty.
- Wash your face with mild soap or a cleanser cleanser to get rid of oily skin and prevent breakouts.
- If the problem with acne has become more serious, consult a doctor to examine you and prescribe treatment. Acne during puberty is common, but due to a hormonal surge, acne problems can get worse.

New inner state and new emotions

Keep a diary of emotions. Write down your feelings and sensations every day (or every time you feel like expressing them to someone). During puberty, hormones change - this affects your emotions. Read your diary once a week to see if there are any changes in your mood and emotions. A sharp change in emotions is also a sign of puberty. Listed below are some of the emotions you may notice:

Pay attention to how you started to think. As you do your homework or encounter different situations, notice if you begin to perceive and think about them in a different way. A new way of thinking can also be a sign of puberty. Watch your mindset change:
- Awareness of consequences and responsibility. For example, understanding what happens when you don't do your chores or homework.
- The need to make your own decisions. For example, when you try to defend your point of view about what is right and wrong.
- Awareness of things you like and don't like.
Curiosity about your body. The desire to watch and touch your body is a normal part of growing up and puberty. Plus, as you get older, you may become more curious about sex and sexuality. Explore your body, enjoy masturbation if you feel like it. All these things are quite natural, you should not be ashamed of them. In addition, these are clear signs of puberty.

Embrace the feeling of being attracted to other people. Romantic and sexual feelings are a normal part of growing up. If you develop feelings for boys, look out for other signs of puberty. This will help make sure that you really have entered puberty.

Medically speaking, precocious puberty is puberty that occurs too early in life. In most cases, this process is normal in all respects, except that it occurs at too early an age, representing a special case of normal development. In a small number of children, early development is caused by diseases such as a tumor or brain injury. Even when no disease is noted, unusually early puberty may have adverse effects on social behavior and psychological development, may reduce growth potential, and may increase some lifelong health risks. Central precocious puberty can be treated by suppressing the pituitary hormones that stimulate the production of sex hormones. This concept is used with several slightly different meanings, which usually depend on the context. In its broadest sense, often used in a simplified form as "early puberty", precocious puberty is sometimes referred to as any physical effect of the sex hormones that occurs before normal age, especially when it is perceived as a medical problem. More stringent definitions of "prematurity" can only refer to central puberty that begins earlier than a statistical age based on a population percentile (e.g., 2.5 standard deviations below population data), based on expert recommendations for ages at which the highest chances of identifying an anomaly, and also on the basis of opinions regarding the age at which precocious puberty may have side effects. The general definition used in medicine refers to girls under 8 years of age and boys under 9 years of age.

Types and causes

Pubertas praecox is a Latin term used by physicians in the 19th century. Early appearance of pubic hair, chest hair, or genital development may be due to early maturation or other causes.

Central

If the cause lies in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, then this cause is perceived as central. Other names for this species are complete or precocious puberty. The causes of central precocious puberty can be:

damage to the inhibitory system of the brain (due to infection, injury or radiation);

hypothalamic hamartoma produces pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH);

langerhans cell histiocytosis;

Martin-Albright syndrome.

Central precocious puberty can be caused by intracranial neoplasms, infections (usually tuberculosis of the central nervous system, especially in developing countries), trauma, hydrocephalus, and Angelman syndrome. Precocious puberty is associated with the advancement of bone aging, leading to early fusion of the epiphyses, which in turn leads to reduced terminal height and possible short stature. Precocious puberty may contribute to a child's fertility; the youngest mother is Lina, who gave birth at 5 years, 7 months and 21 days. "Central precocious puberty (CPPS) has been identified in some patients with suprasellar arachnoid cyst (SAC) and epiphysiolysis of the femoral head (EHA) that occur in patients with CPPS due to rapid growth and changes in increased hormone secretion". If the cause has not been identified, then the disease is considered idiopathic or constitutional.

peripheral

Secondary sexual development caused by sex steroids from other abnormal sources is called peripheral precocious puberty or premature pseudopuberty. It is usually presented as a severe form of the disease in children. Symptoms are usually presented by complications caused by adrenal insufficiency (due to deficiency of 21-hydroxylase or 17-hydroxylase, more often the former), which includes, but is not limited to, hypertension, hypotension, electrolyte abnormalities, vulvar intermediate type, signs of virilization in women. Blood tests usually show high levels of androgens with low levels of cortisol. Causes may include: Endogenous sources

gonadal tumors (eg, arrhenoblastoma);

adrenal tumors;

germ cell tumors;

congenital hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex;

Martin-Albright syndrome.

Exogenous hormones

Environmentally induced exogenous hormones;

As a treatment for another condition.

isosexual and heterosexual

Typically, patients with precocious puberty develop phenotypically consistent secondary features. This is called isosexual maturation. Sometimes the patient's processes can move in the opposite direction. For example, a man may develop breasts and other feminine characteristics, while a woman may develop a deepening voice and facial hair. This is called heterosexual maturation. It is extremely rare compared to isosexual maturation, usually developing only in unusual circumstances. As an example, children with a very rare genetic disorder called familial hyperestrogenism have extremely high levels of circulating estrogen, leading to precocious puberty. Both males and females become hyperfeminized due to the syndrome, and therefore early maturation is classified as heterosexual in males.

Research

Many causes of precocious puberty are not clear, although it should be noted that girls whose diets are high in fat and who are not physically active or obese are more prone to precocious puberty. “Overweight girls who are at least 10 kilograms overweight have an 80% chance of developing breasts before age nine and menstruating before age 12 – the Western average age of onset of menstruation is 12.7 years ". Exposure to chemicals that mimic (known as xenoestrogens) may be a possible cause of early puberty in girls. Bisphenol A, a xenoestrogen found in hard plastics, has been shown to affect puberty. “Factors other than being overweight, however, can be genetic and/or environmental factors; they need to be studied in order to be able to explain the greater prevalence of precocious puberty in girls of the black race than the whites. While more girls are entering puberty at an earlier age, new research shows that some boys have a delayed onset of puberty. “The increased prevalence of obese and overweight children in the US may be responsible for late puberty in boys; This was reported by researchers from the University of Michigan Health System. High levels of beta-hCG in the blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid were detected in a 9-year-old boy who was found to have a tumor of the pineal gland. The tumor is called human chorionic gonadotropin-secreting pineal tumor. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy helped reduce tumor size and normalize beta-hCG levels. In a study using neonatal melatonin in rats, the results indicated that elevated melatonin levels may be responsible for some cases of precocious puberty. Familial cases of idiopathic precocious puberty (IPPS) have been identified, leading scientists to speculate that there are specific genetic modulators of IPPS. Mutations in genes such as LIN28, LEP, and LEPS that code for leptin and the leptin receptor are associated with precocious puberty. The relationship between LIN28 and the time of onset of puberty was identified in in vivo experiments, when it was found that mice with ectopic overexpression of LIN28 had a long period of prepubertal growth, as well as a significant delay in the onset of puberty. Mutations in the white protein fraction (KISS1) and its receptor KISS1R (also known as GPR54) involved in GnRH secretion and the onset of puberty are also thought to be the cause of STIs. However, there are inconsistencies in research, and some researchers have not found any relationship between mutations in the LIN28, KISS1/KISSR genes and the underlying causes of STIs.

Clinical and social significance

Sometimes a medical evaluation is needed to identify children with serious disorders who have precocious puberty that is medically normal. Early onset of puberty can:

cause earlier maturation of bone tissue, reducing further human growth;

indicate the presence of a tumor or other serious problems;

cause in relation to the child, especially women, increased sexual interest on the part of adults.

Early puberty is thought to put girls at increased risk of non-pedophilic sexual abuse, as the child has already developed secondary sexual characteristics; however, this causal relationship is not conclusive. Early puberty places girls at high risk for ridicule or bullying, mental health problems, and short stature in adulthood. It is recommended to help children control their body weight to delay puberty. Early puberty puts girls at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Girls who start menstruating by age 8 grow breasts, pubic hair, and axillary hair; these changes usually occur at age 13 or older. Black women are especially prone to early puberty. There are debatable theories regarding this trend, however the exact causes have not been identified. Although boys face fewer problems than girls with precocious puberty, it is not always a positive factor; earlier puberty in boys may be accompanied by increased aggressiveness due to a surge in hormones. Because they look older than their peers, older boys may face increased social pressure to conform to adult norms; society may view them as more emotionally developed, despite the fact that their cognitive and social development may lag behind their outward development. Studies have shown that boys with early puberty are more sexually active and more prone to risky behavior.

Diagnostic criteria

Studies have shown that breast development in girls and pubic hair growth in boys and girls begins earlier than in past generations. As a result, "early puberty" in children, particularly girls at 9 and 10 years of age, is no longer considered abnormal, although this fact can be frustrating for parents and can also be harmful to children as they mature physically without growing up. while mentally. At the moment, the age that can accurately separate normal and abnormal sexual development in children has not been established, however, the indicators given can help minimize the risk of missing a medical problem:

Breast development in boys before pubic hair or testicular enlargement;

Growth of pubic hair or enlargement of the genitals (gonadarche) in boys under 9.5 years of age;

Pubic hair growth (pubarche) before age 8 or breast development (thelarche) in girls before age 7;

Menstruation (menarche) in girls under 10 years of age.

Treatment

One possible treatment is the use of anastrozole. Gistrelin acetate (supprelin LA), triptorelin or leuprolide, as well as GnRH agonists, may also be used. Short-term use of GnRH agonists stimulates the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) by the pituitary gland. However, with regular use, GnRH agonists can cause reduced FSH and LH release. Long-term use is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. After stopping the use of GnRH agonists, pubertal changes resume within 3-12 months.

:Tags

List of used literature:

David Gardner, Dolores Shoback. Basic And Clinical Endocrinology. McGraw-Hill Medical; 2011. 9th Edition. Pg. 550

Dickerman, R.D.; Stevens, Q. E.; Steide, J. A.; Schneider, S. J. (2004). "Precocious puberty associated with a pineal cyst: is it disinhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis?". Neuro endocrinology letters 25(3): 173–175. PMID 15349080. edit

Kumar, Manoj; Mukhopadhyay, Satinath; Dutta, Deep (2015-01-15). "Challenges and controversies in diagnosis and management of gonadotropin dependent precocious puberty: An Indian perspective". Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 19(2): 228–235. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.149316. Retrieved 16 January 2015.

Why are many daughters of the same age already interested in the opposite sex, wear “adult” underwear, are concerned about appearance, and your girl still plays with dolls? The reason lies in the puberty of girls, the timing of which is purely individual.

Irritability, resentment, frequent mood swings, isolation are temporary difficulties that every teenage girl has to go through. Some parents believe that girls' puberty and puberty occur at the same time, around the age of 11-13. In fact, the girl begins to turn into a girl, starting from 8-9 years. By the age of 17, the stage of puberty of a girl, as a rule, ends.

Puberty of girls. How does it manifest itself?

“You have a girl,” said the midwife who delivered the baby happily. It is thanks to the primary sexual characteristics - external, as well as internal genital organs, that it is possible to determine the sex of the child. In the future, the manifestation of secondary sexual characteristics, directly dependent on the predominance of certain hormones, indicates the beginning of the girl's puberty.

Puberty of girls: rapid growth.

A sure sign of the initial stage of puberty of a girl is rapid growth. To the surprise of parents, a daughter can add up to 10 cm in height per year, overtaking male peers, whose sexual development occurs several years later.

Due to the rapid and disproportionate growth of bones and muscle lag in development, the girl's figure has an angular outline, her arms and legs seem thin and long, and her face is elongated. Nerve endings and blood vessels lag behind the growth of bones, as a result of which a teenage girl is clumsy, like an "elephant in a china shop."

In addition to the intensive growth of the skeleton, the puberty of girls is characterized by increased work of the sebaceous glands. In this situation, the sebaceous glands perform a protective function, preventing damage, stretching and drying of the skin. Since the sebaceous glands are “turned on” to work throughout the body, the hair on the head and facial skin become more oily, giving the girl a lot of inconvenience. In the absence of proper skin care, acne appears - a faithful companion of adolescents.

IMPORTANT! External changes that occur during the sexual development of a girl can cause shame, distrust, complexes. During this period, it is important to explain to a teenage girl the significance of her reincarnation. Ignoring the fact that the daughter is growing up is stupid, especially when she needs parental support.

Puberty in girls: breast enlargement.

At puberty in a girl, the beginning of the development of the mammary glands, or in other words "thelarche", occurs in parallel with the acceleration of growth. Breast augmentation in a young girl begins with the halo and nipple area, after which the entire gland begins to develop. Breast growth continues until the age of 16. The final size of the mammary gland is established only after the end of breastfeeding.

The presence of several dark hairs on the chest of a girl is considered a variant of the norm. The presence of a large amount of hair on the mammary glands is a sign of hormonal disorders and requires an appeal to a gynecologist-endocrinologist.

IMPORTANT! The color of the areola (halos) and the nipple varies from light pink to deep brown, and depends solely on the level of the pigment - melanin. The color of the nipple in no way affects the sensitivity and function of the mammary gland.

Puberty of girls: pubarche.

At the age of 10-11, the girl has the first coarse hairs in the pubic area. In girls, the hair in this area grows in the form of an inverted triangle, without creeping onto the inner surface of the thigh. With an excess of male sex hormones, hair grows not only on the pubis, but also on the hips and lower abdomen, being the reason for consulting a gynecologist-endocrinologist. Pubic hair during puberty in girls is called pubarche.

Puberty of girls: the first menstruation (menarche).

An integral part of a girl's puberty is the first menstruation, the onset of which, on average, occurs at the age of 11-15 years. For Eastern and African peoples, menarche at the age of 10-12 years is also considered the norm. Within a year after the first menstruation, the ovulatory cycle is restored, acquiring a regular character.

Important conditions for the onset of the first menstruation are normal body weight (at least 50 kg), as well as a sufficient mass of adipose tissue (35% or more), which is the depot of estrogens - female sex hormones.

IMPORTANT! The appearance of the first menstruation before the age of 11 indicates the premature sexual development of the girl. Late first menstruation (after 16 years) is a sign of a lag in sexual development.

Rounded hips, enlarged mammary glands, pubic hair, fat deposits in the abdomen, waist and buttocks, the onset of the first menstruation - all this indicates the beginning of the preparation of the female body for bearing the fetus. Do not forget that the first menstruation is not an indicator of puberty, but only indicates the possibility of pregnancy.

The impact of obesity on the sexual development of adolescent girls.

The puberty of girls has features, in particular, regarding fat metabolism in the body. The puberty of girls is characterized by a slowdown in the growth of muscle tissue and the deposition of muscle tissue in these places as compensation. For example, if the abdominal muscles in girls are as developed as in boys, bearing a child will become impossible, since tension in the abdominal muscles will prevent the growth of the uterus.

Puberty in girls is often accompanied by an increase in appetite, which leads to an increase in body weight. A sedentary lifestyle, the predominance of carbohydrate foods in the diet, overeating can lead to the development of alimentary obesity, which, in turn, disrupts the hormonal background.

According to research conducted by specialists from the United States, obesity is one of the main causes of premature puberty in girls. Obesity contributes to the development of female sex, accelerating the process of puberty girls. With regard to the problem of overweight among boys, the situation is exactly the opposite. Obesity slows down the sexual and physical development of boys, disrupting the production of androgens - male sex hormones.

By the end of puberty, the girl begins puberty, which is characterized by sexual activity, due to increased sexual desire. Cardinal changes in the girl's body should encourage her parents to conduct an appropriate conversation about the beginning of sexual activity. By imposing a ban on the topic of intimate relationships, only one thing can be achieved - distrust on the part of a teenage girl. Still, it is better to talk with your daughter on an exciting topic, warning her about the possible adverse consequences of early sexual relations. Sooner or later, what parents fear so much will still happen, and it is better if the young girl is armed with the necessary knowledge about protection against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The process of puberty is influenced by many factors. Early, as well as increased hairiness in girls is not the norm and indicates serious violations of the endocrine system.

What hormone affects hair growth?

With development in adolescents, the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics is observed: pubic hair in girls, hair development in the armpits, development of the mammary glands, the presence of menstruation. In boys - pubic hair, the severity of the thyroid cartilage and a change in the timbre of the voice. Hair growth of the armpits in boys is also noticeable.

The sex hormone testosterone stimulates hair growth. The formation of hair in boys is under the control of androgens produced in the testicles. Hair growth in girls is controlled by androgens produced by the adrenal glands and ovaries.

In girls, the role of androgens is not so great. The effect of androgens on the girl's body is manifested in pathological conditions - with excessive production of androgens. High levels of hormones cause excessive hair growth. A low content of the hormone leads to a prolongation of the puberty period and, accordingly, hair growth in adolescents is delayed.

Hair growth in girls

In girls, hair growth is formed according to the female type: moderate hair growth in the axillary region, and on the pubis - in the form of a triangle. The hair on the limbs is inconspicuous and coarse.

Pubic hair in girls is completed by the age of 16, passing through several stages. Hair color, their curl depends on genetic characteristics. At the age of 13, armpit hair appears.

Rice. Hair growth in girls (photo types of pubic hair growth in girls)

Early hair growth in girls

In girls, puberty before the age of 8 is considered premature. A cause for concern is swelling of the mammary gland and pigmentation of the nipple. The girl should be under the supervision of an endocrinologist, since this may be followed by an increase in the level of sex hormones, and early hair growth in girls may appear.

Precocious puberty is associated with activation of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland. This leads to increased secretion of gonadotropins, which stimulate the activity of the ovaries. Such conditions often develop in diseases and tumors of the central nervous system.

With tumors of the adrenal glands, early hair growth in girls is also noted. These are quite serious symptoms, which, among other things, can be considered a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Increased hair growth in girls

Disorders of the endocrine system (hyperandrogenism) causes increased hair growth in girls in the pubic and axillary region, so you need to contact an endocrinologist to identify the causes of this condition. Increased body hair in girls is associated with Cushing's syndrome and polycystic ovaries, hyperplasia or tumors of the adrenal glands.

Rice. Hair growth in girls (photo of increased hair growth with adrenal hyperplasia)

Increased hairiness is often accompanied by increased oiliness of the skin and the appearance of acne. Only a specialist after the examination can recommend drugs - androgen antagonists, which will reduce hair growth in girls.

Hyperandrogenism not only causes increased hairiness in girls, but is also accompanied by a number of complications in a woman in the future: menstrual irregularities, miscarriage, infertility, breast cancer.

Hair growth in boys

An important sign of puberty is pubic hair. Pubic hair first grows in a female pattern, and hair growth begins at 12-13 years of age. Adolescent hair growth in boys at the age of 13-14 is also characterized by the appearance of a gentle fluff above the upper lip. At the age of 14, hair in the armpits becomes noticeable. Complete hair growth of the depressions occurs by the age of 17. At the same time, facial hair appears: the fluff above the lip turns into a mustache, then a beard begins to grow. By the age of 16-17, pubic hair growth according to the male type ends and hair growth is noted throughout the body. Hair growth in boys is directly related to testosterone production.

Obstetrician-gynecologist

The sexual development of girls is a very difficult and delicate issue, which should be discussed with a child with extreme caution. We will talk today about how to do it correctly, without abstruse phrases and unwanted hush-ups.

The time has finally come when you are faced with a wonderful, albeit difficult, age.

If you are a mother, then it is difficult for you to realize that your baby is getting older and now the thoughts in her head can suddenly become multi-colored or glossy black butterflies. At this age, her mother's girl tries to defend her character, thinking that she can handle everything herself.

Meanwhile, she does not have time to keep track of the changes in her body, which undoubtedly disturb her. And you, as the closest person, are entrusted with the responsibility to tell, help, direct in the right direction all the energy that covers your child with his head.

If you are a young girl, you already have a lot of questions about everything related to the adult life of a woman. But these questions could have been postponed earlier, since it was far away, maybe not very interesting, not connected in any way with that life when you were a carefree girl.

Sex education for girls is a complex and time-consuming process that needs to be approached with care. Participation in the process should be taken not only by mom, but also by dad.

Let's start with the changes in the girl. It is in the girl, because restructuring does not begin when secondary sexual characteristics appear, but much earlier. On average, puberty lasts 10-12 years. During this time, the girl noticeably changes in front of others.

Prepuberty - a period that begins at 7-8 years and ends with the arrival of the first menstruation. Usually this (menstruation) happens 1-3 years after the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics. Already from such an early age, you can notice changes in the body of the child. Hormones begin their activity, though not cyclical. But hormonal releases happen all the time. In this connection, the transformation of a girl into a girl occurs.

Signs of puberty in girls

The first changes in the girl's body are taking place - the hips are rounded, the growth of the pelvic bones begins. The mammary glands appear. You can already notice areas of hair growth on the pubis and in the armpits.

As a rule, the girl begins to grow sharply before the onset of menstruation.

All of these signs may develop inconsistently. And now let's dwell on each symptom and the pathologies associated with it. There are several stages in the development of secondary sexual characteristics.

A few years before the start of the first menstruation, a sharp growth of the girl is observed. Presumably, this happens 2-3 years before the onset of menstruation.

At this time, growth spurts can reach up to 10 centimeters per year.

Often during this period, the child is awkward, since the bones do not grow evenly, at the beginning the hands and feet become larger, then the tubular bones, and only then the torso.

Clumsiness in movements can also be observed, this is due to the fact that nerve fibers and muscles do not always keep up with the growth of the bones of the skeleton.

Skin

The skin develops according to the skeleton and muscles, for this the secretion of the glands is increased in order to have a good stretch, as a result of which the teenager suffers from rashes, which in science are called "blackheads", "acne" or pimples. Hair also becomes oilier at the roots, now you need to wash your hair more often.

Subcutaneous adipose tissue also develops. There is an increased deposition of fat in the thighs, abdomen. The shoulders are also rounded, and the waist appears.

Thelarche is the development of the mammary gland. Usually, breast growth begins in girls at 10-11 years old, 1.5-2 years before the onset of menstruation. According to WHO, the appearance of signs of breast growth after 8 years is considered the norm. Nipples become sensitive, can change their color, depending on the amount of pigment in the body.

And also there is an increase in the size of the nipple itself. Hair growth is possible around the areola of the nipple - this happens in women of Eastern and Caucasian origin and is not a pathology. The color, shape, size of the breasts depend on genetic factors, the amount of subcutaneous adipose tissue.

There are several levels of breast development.

Ma0- the gland is not developed, the nipple is not pigmented.
Ma1- gland tissue is palpable in the area of the areola limit, painful.
Ma2- the mammary gland is enlarged, the nipple and areola are raised.
Ma3- the mammary gland takes the form of a cone, the base of which is located between the III and VI ribs. The nipple does not stand out separately from the areola.
Ma4- the gland has a hemispherical shape, the nipple is separated from the areola and pigmented.

The mammary gland finishes its development and maximizes only after childbirth and feeding. And the final stage of development of the mammary gland is observed for about 15 years. The mammary gland itself can be painful during growth and before menstruation.

hair growth

Pubarche - hair growth of the pubic region - begins at 10-12 years. Growing pubic hair forms a triangle, the base of which is located on the lower line of the abdomen. Individual hairs rising to the navel are possible. But if the hairline tightly covers the entire area, forming a rhombus, you should contact a gynecologist-endocrinologist.

By the age of 13-15, hair appears in the armpit and on the legs. Stiffness, color and shape of hair is individual and depends on genetic predisposition.

Armpit hair:

Ah0- no hair loss.
Ah1- hair growth with single straight hairs.
Ah2- the appearance of hairline in the middle of the armpit.
Ah3- hair growth of the entire axillary region.

Pubic hair:

Pb0- no hair loss.
Pb1- hair growth with single straight hairs.
Pb2- the appearance of hairline in the center.
Pb3- hair growth of the entire pubic area along a horizontal line.

It is necessary to learn how to properly monitor the smoothness of the legs, bikini area and armpits. Each girl chooses for herself an individual method to achieve the goal. But do not rush to remove, because the first hair is softer, thinner and less noticeable. Over time or under the influence of external factors, they become rigid.

Menarche - the beginning of menstrual flow, the first menstruation. This happens to everyone at different ages, and menarche also depends on genetics. As a rule, the first bleeding is observed from 12 to 14 years. After the onset of the first menstruation, the growth of the girl slows down, but the remaining signs of puberty continue to develop.

Menstruation in many girls is not cyclical at the very beginning. For some, it takes some time - from six months to two years. In the case of non-cyclic discharge, you should subsequently consult a doctor.

During menstruation, the mammary glands may be tense, somewhat painful. Also, many girls and women at the time before and during bleeding have aching pains in the lower abdomen, some have discomfort in the stomach or intestines. All this can accompany mensis (menstruation) in the norm.

Until critical days, the mood can change, more often the girl feels irritation, weakness, tearfulness. But all this passes during the first days of menstruation. Despite the irregularity of the cycle, a girl can become pregnant, and it is important to convey this to an immature person.

Deviations from the norm

As everyone knows, where there is a norm, there is a pathology. Today, cases such as precocious puberty in girls (PPR) are increasingly observed. And here it is important that the mother carefully approaches the changes in the child's body.

They say about PPR if the age of the girl herself, at the manifestation of the first sexual characteristics, is younger than 8 years. At this age, the child cannot always adequately approach the innovations of his body.

Types of PPR

Precocious puberty in girls is divided into several types.

1. true type. It occurs when the endocrine glands - the hypothalamus and pituitary gland are disturbed, which, in turn, stimulate the ovaries.

Full form. When all secondary signs begin to develop before the age of 7-8 years, growth slows down by closing the growth zones in the bones, menstrual flow appears.
incomplete form. Here, secondary signs appear, but the menses themselves come much later - at 10-11 years old.

2. False type. It is characterized by a violation in the ovary itself - there is an indiscriminate production of sex hormones, in connection with which the order of the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics is disturbed in the child. And there is irregular spotting, it can start without the full development and formation of the mammary gland or hair growth.

3. hereditary type. As a rule, if a girl has women in her pedigree (especially if she is a mother), whose maturation began earlier than the indicated dates, then the child himself will turn into a girl earlier than her peers. In this case, the order of appearance of sexual characteristics will not be violated.

Causes of PPR

Causes of early puberty in girls can be:

brain cysts;
transferred bacterial or viral infection;
violation of the blood circulation of the brain;
congenital anomalies (hydroencephaly);
exposure (strong exposure to radiation);
poisoning with poisons (lead);
consequences of brain injury.

If you notice any changes in your princess that can be attributed to PPR, or there is a growth spurt before the age of 7, it is better to contact a gynecologist, endocrinologist and undergo an examination. Early sexual development is a process that requires the obligatory supervision of a specialist.

delayed sexual development

Another problem of mothers and their girls is delayed sexual development in girls (ZPR).

Signs of delay:

absence of the onset of menstruation before the age of 16;
lack of sufficient growth of the mammary glands up to 13 years;
poor hair growth by the age of 14;
insufficient growth or abnormal development of the genital organs;
lack of correspondence of height and weight to age.

Also, a delay in the development of maturity refers to the state when the sexual development of the girl took place only half. That is, the mammary glands have developed, there is some hair growth, and then everything slowed down for more than a year and a half.

Causes of CRA

Congenital disorders in the brain.
Cysts and brain tumors.
Poison poisoning.
Heredity.
The impact on the body of radiation or radiation therapy.
Removal of the ovaries.
Strong physical activity.
Severe stress or malnutrition (exhaustion).
Complications after bacterial or viral infections, etc.

If you are concerned about the health of your girl, consult a doctor, he will conduct an examination and be able to make the correct diagnosis. Any condition of the body is easier and more effective to treat at the very beginning, when the pathology has not given irreversible consequences. Everything must be done on time!

Another important moment in the development of a girl is growing up and becoming a girl, a woman from the inside.

The sexual development of girls should be given special attention from birth. Even from the cradle, a girl should feel like an important link in creating family comfort, since the atmosphere in the family mainly depends on her. In addition, the girl in the future expects pregnancy, childbirth, care for the newborn.

The child should prepare for the upcoming difficulties, and it's not bad when the little ones are rocking their dolls in strollers and are already beginning to experience maternal feelings, a sense of responsibility. When a girl tries to be like her mother and knows what awaits her, she rejoices at all the changes and is not afraid to move forward.

If a girl is not talked about turning a girl into a girl, and then into a woman, all the changes in her body are unpleasant to her, and the onset of menstruation generally scares her. You need to explain everything to your princess as you grow older, step by step. It is important that next to the girl there is an older comrade in the person of her mother, girlfriend, aunt, etc.

During the transitional age, it is sometimes very difficult for adolescents to understand themselves, their mood can change dramatically, a feeling of irritability, tearfulness does not allow them to calmly perceive the changes. In no case should you ridicule, reproach the child during this period.

With the onset of adolescence, or rather, with its end, it is time to discuss with the girl the sexual side of her life. The girl's behavior changes - she often looks at the opposite sex, experiences attraction, she is overcome by erotic fantasies. A teenager should understand everything and learn not to be ashamed of it. The sexual education of girls is an important task that lies with the parents.

In addition to the perception itself, it is necessary to convey to your child information about the possibility of becoming pregnant and contracting infections through sexual contact. You should also tell her about the negative impact of the early onset of sexual activity. Adolescents at this age often experiment, including in this area, violent actions are possible.

Teaching a child the rules of personal hygiene, the purity of sexual relations and their protection, to talk about the frequency of taking a shower during menstruation - all this is the task of a good parent. Having matured, the child meets with new states of his body. For example, thrush occurs - a fairly common disease that needs to be cured in time.

Often a teenager, feeling his imperfection, withdraws into himself and suffers for a long time from symptoms that can bring severe discomfort. It is worth paying attention to the appearance of acne, it is important to tell your child how to deal with them correctly, because we all know the tendency of children to squeeze everything out. This can lead to unpleasant consequences: cicatricial changes in the skin, blood poisoning.

Sex education is often the subject of much controversy. But there are certain rules that are best adhered to - they will allow you to move as smoothly as possible into adulthood and maintain the health of the girl.

It is worth paying attention to the nutrition of a teenager, the girls themselves often skip meals on purpose, in order, as they think, to be more beautiful. The girl should eat well so that there are no delays in the development of sexual characteristics and the onset of menstruation.

Under no circumstances should a teenager be treated like an adult. A person in adolescence already knows a lot, has his own point of view, but he is only embarking on the path of growing up, your advice is important to him, although sometimes he does not show it. Control is never too much.

Masturbation is very important in the development of sexuality. There is nothing unhealthy or shameful in such behavior. So the child learns to relieve stress by fantasizing, imagining imaginary actions. Contrary to the thoughts imposed by the Bible and Soviet upbringing about masturbation as something dirty and unacceptable for a self-respecting woman, today its benefits have been proven, of course, if not "going too far."

As a conclusion

The main goals of parents, especially mothers, during puberty, are:

teach the girl to accept herself for who she is;
transfer all knowledge regarding the technique of sexual relations, contraception and methods of protection against sexually transmitted infections;
show all the charm of a woman, mother, wife;
define the scope of decent behavior with the opposite sex;
to teach how to cope with some of the ailments associated with premenstrual syndrome, thrush, etc .;
surround the child with love and care, especially when he needs it.

Of course, along with the child, you also grow up. Do not forget that the child has never been an adult, and you adults have already experienced all the hardships of this difficult period. How your child perceives everything depends largely on you.

We know a lot about babies, we argue about diapers, swaddling and vaccinations, but our daughters grow up, puberty sets in, when a young maiden blooms from an angular girl in one year. What kind of puberty is this, what is its peculiarity in girls and what do mothers need to remember and know?

Puberty is a complex of physical changes in the girl's body, combined with psychological changes, they occur gradually and are manifested by the onset of menstruation. This event usually occurs between the ages of 12 and 14, but may also occur somewhat earlier or later, with a range of 10 to 15 years on average. Each girl has her own menstrual cycle, the duration of menstruation will be from 3-4 to 7 days, in the first year of menstruation they will be irregular and there is no need to be afraid of this.

What will menstruation depend on?
The reproductive function of the girl will depend on the state of health of the girl, her compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. In healthy and hardened girls who play sports, menstruation usually passes easily. But in weakened, overtired or often ill girls during menstruation, malaise, pain in the lower abdomen, headaches and aching in the lower back can be noted. A healthy girl may also have mild weakness, but this usually does not interfere with her usual lifestyle, she just needs to slow down the pace of training and classes.

Girls can lead a normal life during menstruation, they are not contraindicated in going to school or physical education, only jumping, carrying weights or cycling need to be canceled. At the time of menstruation, it is worth eating less salt and hot spices, they can increase the separation of blood during menstruation. Teach your daughter to keep a calendar of menstruation, it will be calmer for both you and her - remember, sexual life begins in adolescents without asking our permission, and if there is menstruation, pregnancy is always possible. While, unfortunately, her mother will need to think for the girl, the girls have a wind in their heads. In the calendar, let him mark the date of the beginning and end of menstruation, its duration and abundance, this will also help to note health disorders if they occur. Regular menstruation speaks of puberty - that is, the ability to conceive a child, but this is far from the maturation of a girl as a person.

About the menstrual cycle.
Tell the girl about the menstrual cycle - this knowledge will help her be more careful about her health and possible children. Menstruation is the beginning of the menstrual cycle, and not its end, as many people think. The cycle is calculated from the beginning of one menstruation to the beginning of another. They go continuously one after another due to the cyclical hormonal processes in the body, regulated by the maturing brain of a girl. On average, the cycle can be from 22 to 24 days less often longer. The menstruation itself is 3-7 days. The whole cycle can be divided into several phases in which special changes in the body occur.

First period or menstrual bleeding- this is the first day of the cycle, during it the endometrium and its vessels are rejected, leaving with bloody secretions. This is a mixture of blood, mucus and mucous membrane cells, in one cycle there is a loss of up to 30-100 ml of blood, but if it is much more, immediately go to the doctor with your daughter. The first days of menstruation are more plentiful, in the subsequent days they are scarce.

Second phase- this is follicular, during this period, under the influence of hormones, one follicle begins to mature in each cycle in one of the ovaries. Under the influence of estrogens, the inner layer of the uterus begins to grow, the follicle reaches 20-25 mm. Follicles are taken from ready-made primordia, there are about 400 thousand of them in the ovaries by the birth of a girl, about 500 will mature in her life.

Third phase- this is ovulation, it is at this time that the egg is released and it is in it that women become pregnant. This is important to know so that the girl understands the essence of protection from premature pregnancy. During ovulation, the follicle bursts and the egg enters the fallopian tube, moves along it. In the fourth stage, the egg moves through the tube, and if there is no pregnancy, the thickening and loosening of the endometrium, the death of the egg. A decrease in the level of hormones and again the transition to the first stage of the cycle - the rejection of the endometrium. If a girl becomes pregnant, her periods will stop - the absence of menstruation is the first of the signs of pregnancy, although they may be absent for other reasons.

What does menstruation depend on?
The correctness and regularity of the girl's cycle depends on her sexual and hormonal health. The main gland in menstruation is the hypothalamus, after equal time it will send a command to the pituitary gland to release hormones that affect the ovaries and the entire reproductive system of the girl. The ovary, in response to these signals, produces estrogens and progesterone, which will allow the follicle to mature and prepare for a purely theoretical conception. If any of the links in this chain fails, this leads to a disruption in the formation of menstrual function and requires the participation of a doctor. The first two years, the irregularity of the nature of menstruation is allowed, but at the age of 16-18, all monthly functions should already be clearly established, the cycle should become regular and not bring much discomfort. If this does not happen, this is an occasion to contact a teenage gynecologist.

Teenage girls today have poor nutrition, often girls of 15-18 years old are either obese or excessively thin, many live in constant stress from exams, unrequited love or problems in the family, all this unbalances hormones and nervous system. These factors are inextricably linked with sexual function and its development.

Normal ovarian function is possible at a certain weight - this is usually when a girl reaches a weight of 43-47 kg, for girls who are on a diet or are malnourished, menstruation often disappears or comes much later. Very low weight women are infertile just because of the weight itself. Even if the girl had a normal weight, and she loses more than 10-15%, this can lead to amenorrhea. This happens due to disturbances in the functioning of the pituitary gland, and then it is difficult to recover - so, if you want to become grandmothers, watch your daughter's nutrition! But, without zeal, the reverse state is no less dangerous. Well-fed donuts begin to menstruate earlier than usual, forming puberty earlier. This is due to an increase in estrogen due to the deposition of excess fat, which gives an earlier maturity.

Not only the quantity is important, but also the quality of food - alcohol, fatty, salty and spicy food with excess meat leads to earlier ripening. If a girl, in pursuit of fashion, restricts herself in nutrition for any elements, is on a diet, this will affect her sexual functions, and sometimes this is irreversible. Vitamin A, zinc and iodine deficiency are especially dangerous; this is an exception to the diet of meat, fish and eggs.

Other factors.
There are also external factors that affect the onset of puberty - this is the climate and geography of residence. Earlier, girls from mountain latitudes and southerners menstruate, but girls from the plains and from the northern regions do this later. On average, the timing of the arrival of menstruation varies by no more than 6-12 months. The timing of the onset of menstruation also depends on the social wealth in the family and the quality of life, in stable times and good families, puberty in girls occurs a little earlier.

Physical activity will also affect the onset of menstruation; girls in adolescence have not very pronounced physical strength and endurance. Professional sport for them is a difficult test - it greatly affects the health of the genital area and general. Loads in sports or ballet inhibit the development of the sexual sphere, combined with growth and development delays in general. Look at the gymnasts and acrobats - they are all small and infantile at 16-17 years old. In addition, athletes during puberty may show signs of androgenization - the voice becomes coarser, the separation of sebum increases, and menstruation is disturbed. It depends on strength training and muscle pumping - this happens with swimmers and rowers, half of the female athletes with medals have very serious female problems. Therefore, think about what is more important for you to have a daughter's sports achievements and medals, or the presence of grandchildren in the family.

Another big problem is bad habits among girls. Our subculture and teenage hangouts instill in them the wrong styles of behavior - they try to smoke as early as 12-14 years old, try alcohol secretly from their mothers, and even start having sex far before adulthood. This leads to negative consequences - not only does health suffer in general, but the formation of menstrual function is also disrupted. Such girls with bad habits often have acne and a pale complexion, their voice coarsens - this is due to androgen hormones. They also affect the menstrual cycle - it becomes irregular and painful.

And bad habits damage eggs so much that after many years, when a girl, having played enough, stops drinking and smoking, she will have a high probability of giving birth to a sick baby from an egg damaged by nicotine and alcohol.

Naturally, adolescence is a difficult test for a girl, but she has her main assistant - her mother. Dear mothers, help your daughter to succeed as a woman, and she will help you to succeed as a grandmother in a few years!

Your baby seems to have only yesterday tried to hold her head, smile, crawl, talk, walk .... And already today you notice strange changes in it. What is happening to her? Do not be afraid of the changes taking place - your baby, most likely, smoothly entered puberty in girls. And it does not matter that she may be only 8 years old, and she is still a child. Already now she is actively preparing to become a woman, a mother. And right now, you, the parents, must help your daughter survive a difficult period of her life. And for this, you need to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat the puberty of a girl means, and how it goes normally.

How is puberty different for girls and boys?

The puberty of girls and boys is completely different, these are completely different processes. Puberty begins in them at different times, is perceived by children in completely different ways, and proceeds differently. For example, earlier puberty of girls is a fairly common occurrence, while in boys it is a phenomenon, rather an exception to the rule. However, the premature puberty of girls should not be a cause for concern for parents at all - this is normal.

The period of puberty in girls, and in boys takes, in general, five years. The timing of the onset of puberty, as already mentioned, is very individual and may well fluctuate greatly, both in one direction and in the other. In cases where parents notice significant fluctuations - too early puberty for girls or boys, or, conversely, too much delay - it makes sense to seek the advice of a pediatrician. The doctor is able to assess the most adequate state of the physical development of your son or daughter, and send for additional examinations, if necessary, in order to reliably determine the reasons for the deviation of the child's sexual development from the norm.

However, serious hormonal problems are very rare. Almost always, the cause of such temporary deviations is a hereditary trait. The fact is that if at one time, at least one parent also had some deviations in any of the parties, this increases the possibility of the same deviations in the child by 50%. This is especially evident in relation to the growth of children - if both parents are of short stature, one should not expect that a teenager will have an intense growth spurt.

Modern medicine has established some framework in which the start of puberty, both girls and boys, should fit. Puberty begins earlier for girls from 8 years old, and only from 10 years old for boys, the deadline for puberty for a girl can begin is 12 years old, for a boy - 14 years old. If parents have any doubts about the sexual development of the child, they need to seek advice from a pediatrician or endocrinologist. And remember: in no case should you express your doubts or fears in the presence of your son or daughter - you risk inflicting a rather serious psychological trauma on the child, which you will have to fight for a long time in the future. Do not forget that the psyche of adolescents is a subtle "tool", very, very vulnerable.

Actually, this is everything in common that the puberty of girls and boys has in common. Everything else is solid differences that parents should be aware of without fail.

Sex education for girls

The first thing I would like to say is that the sexual education of girls should begin at a very young age, literally from her very birth. After all, instilling hygiene in a child is also sexual education for girls. Each of the parents probably wants their daughter to grow up as a soft, sensitive, caring woman who loves her children. This is the sex education of girls at an early age.

You should not be a hypocrite with a child, tell “tales” about gender differences in childhood, and carry nonsense about storks and cabbage, answering the question “Where do children come from?”. The main thing that is required from parents in the event of the appearance of "uncomfortable" questions or situations is the naturalness of behavior, the readiness to answer everything exhaustively, the ability to explain everything without fear and shame. Regardless of the age of the child, four, seven or fifteen years old, your answers must be truthful in content, objective and scientific. Be truthful with your child, but be age-appropriate, answer clearly, concisely, and to the point.

The child's assimilation of his own sexual role, his character, the development of his sexuality depends largely on the family, which is able to harmoniously combine the social and biological principles of the future woman's personality.

If you treated the issues of sexual education responsibly from the very beginning, then during puberty for girls, you will not have any special problems, this difficult time will pass for your child and for you without any psychological trauma and misunderstandings in relationships. You can read more about what sex education for girls is in the article: “Sex education for children. Principles of sexual education for boys and girls”.

Puberty in girls

Puberty of a girl is a very intensive growth of a child, which lasts about two years, and precedes the onset of puberty for a girl. Puberty in a girl begins with the first menstruation.

As already mentioned, it is impossible to name the exact age when puberty in girls will begin. The average age when sex education for girls begins is about 11 years old, therefore, the first menstrual cycle should occur somewhere around 13 years old, that is, puberty will come in two years. However, in recent decades there has been a trend of "rejuvenation" of puberty - earlier puberty of girls increasingly begins at the age of 8-9 years. It happens, especially if the mother's puberty was late, the girl's puberty can begin at 13 years old, and the first menstruation, respectively, at 15 years old.

There are cases, occasionally, but still, that the girl's puberty starts at the age of 7 or 15. In this case, the parents have cause for concern, such deviations are pathological in nature and require special medical correction. If this occurs, premature or excessively early puberty in girls, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

When deviations are not so dramatic, they should not frighten parents. Insignificant deviations do not signal any hormonal disruptions in the child's body, malfunctions of the hormonal glands. Most likely, this is just a hereditary predisposition. If you yourself do not remember when and how your puberty began, ask your parents - they will certainly be able to dispel your doubts. And, of course, in no case should you give the child any hormonal drugs - this can simply cause irreparable harm to the girl's health and even lead to infertility in the future. Such drugs should be prescribed exclusively by the attending physician.

Signs of puberty in girls

Growth. Puberty in girls is accompanied by the following characteristic signs, each of which manifests itself in its life period and begins with growth:

At the age of 7-8, the baby grew approximately 7 centimeters during the year.
By the age of 9, nature begins to drastically slow down the growth process, and it is only about two centimeters. This will continue on the continuation of the tenth year of life - not exceeding 1 - 3 centimeters of increase in growth per year.
During the 11th year, a powerful growth spurt usually occurs - over the next couple of years per year, an increase in growth will average about 10 centimeters. In addition, her weight will also begin to grow rapidly - the usual 2 kilograms per year will be replaced by about 6 kilograms of weight gain. However, outwardly it will not be noticeable, except that the girl may simply begin to have a "brutal" appetite, due to the body's need for a large amount of nutrients in order to provide such a rapid growth spurt.

Milk glands. The puberty of a girl is accompanied by significant changes in her body. At its very beginning, an increase in the mammary glands is noted, which occurs as follows: the first changes concern the areola and nipple, which slightly increase and protrude forward. A little later, the mammary gland itself begins to change. During the first year after the onset of puberty in girls, the mammary gland takes the form of a cone. About a year before the first menstruation, the girl's breasts will take on a more familiar, rounded shape.

Hair growth and shape changes. When a girl's puberty begins, vegetation appears in the perineum and armpits. The figure is modified, acquiring a more feminine shape: gradually the girl's hips begin to expand, the waist is drawn. In addition, during puberty in girls, the structure of hair and skin, which are affected by certain hormones, changes dramatically.

First menstruation. Around the age of 13, the first menstruation occurs in a girl. However, the formation of the menstrual cycle is a very long process that can last up to one year. Before the menstrual cycle is established, menstruation can be extremely irregular and have varying duration - but no more than 5 days of menstrual bleeding. Such irregularity is a completely normal phenomenon, which parents should not cause any concern. When the first menstruation occurs, the girl’s growth slows down significantly, in general, subsequently she will add no more than 5 centimeters in height.

The mother of a menstruating girl should pay especially close attention. Regardless of how old the girl's first menstruation began - at 11 or 15, this event always turns out to be stressful for her. One can only imagine how much stress it will be if the girl knows absolutely nothing about what is happening to her? As psychological practice testifies, a girl may start to panic, and she will not even tell her mother about what is happening to her and her body.

That is why the mother is certainly obliged in a timely manner, before the first menstruation comes, to prepare the girl psychologically for the upcoming physiological changes, to teach how to use the necessary hygiene items, to tell the rules of behavior during menstruation. Of course, a girl can also learn about everything from other sources, for example, from her friends. However, in this case, do not be surprised if she will share the news that she has become a girl, and other events in life, with a friend, and not with you. Also, you should not react too violently to the onset of menstruation in a girl, and even more so publicly inform relatives and friends about it - this can seriously confuse the girl, provoke the appearance of complexes, and the fear of telling you something in the future.

awkwardness. It is during a rapid growth spurt in a teenage girl that the very “awkwardness” familiar to many appears. Parents should not worry about this - such disproportion of the body is completely normal and does not indicate any kind of pathology. The period of the "ugly duckling" will soon end forever, and your little princess will turn into a real beauty. Be sure to talk to the girl about this, she also needs to understand this, explain what is the reason for this change, and that it will end soon.

Psychological difficulties during puberty in girls

During puberty in girls, the skeleton grows most intensively, but unevenly. The fact is that the bones grow at different speeds, absolutely not synchronously - first the bones of the hands and feet are stretched, then the bones of the hands, and the skull of the face. And only in the very last place they are "catching up" with the body. This explains the fact that teenage girls often have too long legs and arms, a slightly elongated face. In addition to all this, the rate of muscle growth is often much lower than the rate of bone growth, as a result, a certain clumsiness and angularity of a teenager's movements.

The signs of puberty are usually pronounced in girls, and if the place has a premature, earlier puberty in girls, psychological problems occur. From the ongoing changes, the girl may experience embarrassment, especially if they have not yet begun among her peers. If this issue is painful enough for your daughter, try talking to a teacher, class teacher, who will make sure that the girl does not become the subject of ridicule at school. It does not hurt to seek advice from a child psychologist, he will tactfully and with knowledge of the psychological characteristics of children and adolescents explain to the child that all changes are absolutely natural and normal.

Remember : how a girl perceives the changes that occur to her body depends to a greater extent on how good and close the relationship she has with her mother. Try to communicate with your daughter as often and as much as possible, answer all her questions, even if they seem ridiculous and stupid. Believe me, your daughter's trust will more than pay off, it will be much easier for you to survive a difficult adolescence.

Equally, psychological problems can be associated with a girl's late puberty. If she begins to understand that at her 13-14 years old, there are practically no changes that her friends and classmates experience, then she may begin to experience discomfort and worry. A girl may begin to feel extremely uncomfortable in the company of her peers, and acquire a strong inferiority complex, feeling inferior to everyone else.

In this situation, only constant confidential communication with the daughter can also help, she needs to explain everything and periodically remind that this is normal, and the girl’s puberty is simply inevitable. Mom can be an example, even if you have to slightly embellish reality. In especially difficult cases, if the daughter does not make contact and the mother cannot cope, we advise you to contact a child psychologist. Do not ignore the problem, because such psychological traumas are quite strong, and an acquired inferiority complex can poison a girl's existence all her life.

The sexual development of girls may well have different variations, and not only age. Sometimes the appearance of the hairline can vary significantly in its sequence. Usually, breast growth and shaping come first, then pubic hair appears, and armpit hair appears last. However, in some cases, first of all, hairs appear in the armpits, but the rest of the signs are not yet noticeable. Sometimes hair first appears on the genitals, and after all the other signs.

Also, doctors noticed one pattern - the earlier the girl's puberty began, the faster it proceeds, and, conversely, the later the girl's puberty began, the longer the process takes. For example, in a girl, the onset of puberty, which started at the age of 9, its duration is no more than one and a half years, while its onset in a 14-year-old girl will last about two and a half years.

Therefore, support your princess, no matter what, because now the most important period in her life is happening. She is about to turn from a girl into a girl, and then into a woman, and soon she will take on your role - the role of a mother.

The period of puberty of the child begins with a sharp increase in growth, sometimes up to 10 centimeters per year. A girl reaches her final height by the age of 18, after which more throughout her life.

The bones of the skeleton, muscles and nerve endings sometimes develop differently, which is why a teenager during this period seems angular and awkward. Do not worry, the difference will quickly smooth out and the girl's figure will become feminine.

Simultaneously with growth, the sebaceous glands on the skin are activated due to a hormonal surge. This can lead to acne breakouts. To avoid such problems, at this time it is necessary to pay special attention to your hygiene.

Cleanse your face several times a day with a special lotion, use additional wet wipes during the day and you will minimize all manifestations of acne.

Menstrual cycle

The first bleeding appears in about 1.5-2 years after the onset of puberty. Menstruation at this time is irregular, since the menstrual cycle has not yet been established. However, the ovaries, under the influence of sex hormones, have already begun to work at full capacity, therefore, even during this period, pregnancy is possible if she leads a sexual life without protection.

In addition, for the start of menstruation, the girl must gain a certain body weight, if the teenager has a small weight, menstruation can begin much later.

The regular cycle should be finally established within a year from the first discharge. It is important at this time to start keeping a calendar in which all start dates will be recorded. This information may be needed by your gynecologist to determine the cycle setting period.

With the advent of menstruation, the so-called puberty period begins, which is characterized by the formation of external and internal genital organs, including the vulva and genital slit.