From the ages of six to eight, girls are still lighter and
shorter than boys are. During this time, the lower portion of their body is
growing the fastest. Also during the middle childhood years, the bones begin to
lengthen and broaden. Ligaments are not attached tightly to the bones yet.
Because of this, children of this age experience unusual flexibility. At this
age, I was able to put both of my legs around my neck because I was so flexible.
I began gymnastics around this age also. I began to become interested in many
sports, and my flexibility along with my athleticism supported my performance in
many sports. Children during this time tend to experience things like
bedwetting. I never was a bedwetter, but my brother went through this stage.
Also during the middle childhood ages there is a higher rate of illness in the
first two years of elementary school. This is mainly because the immune system
is not yet fully developed s well as the constant exposure to sick children.
Along with frequent illness, children of this age are often not physically fit.
Physical fitness programs can help this problem. Probably one of the most
difficult transitions that humans go through physically is puberty. Puberty is
the time when the body of a school-aged child turns into that of an adult. This
growth is regulated by hormones that are genetically influenced. Girls usually
reach puberty an average of two years before boys. During this time, extreme
weight gains are common, and the skeleton begins to mature. Sex hormones control
sexual maturation. Testosterone in boys brings about their facial hair and
muscle growth. It also leads to muscle growth. The female organs release
estrogen, and it causes breasts, uterus, and the vagina to mature. The two main
categories that the changes puberty brings about can be divided into are overall
body growth and the maturation of sex characteristics. The first visible sign of
puberty is usually a large growth spurt. A growth spurt is the rapid gain in
height and weight. For girls, this growth spurt usually takes place around or
after age ten and for boys it usually takes place around twelve and a half.
Remember when I started to hit puberty, I was all confused about what was
happening because my body was changing so quickly. I think it was around fourth
grade when I started going through puberty. I was kind of chubby. Girls are
usually taller and heavier than boys are during early adolescence. Most girls
are completely grown by age sixteen. I was full grown by the age of fifteen.
Boys usually are finished growing by the age of seventeen and a half. I have
known boys, however, that have grown after the age of seventeen.
In total,
adolescents add about ten inches in height and around forty pounds in weight.
Adolescence is a time when humans feel and look awkward because of long legs and
giant feet and hands. There are many major puberty changes that take place. In
girls, their breasts begin to bud at age ten, and then their height spurt
begins. Then their pubic hair appears, followed by the peak of their strength
spurt and height spurt. Next their first menstruation occurs. By this time, they
have achieved adult stature. By fourteen, girls’ breast growth is completed and
at fourteen and a half, their pubic hair growth is completed. Boys major puberty
changes occur a little later than girls. First, their testes begin to enlarge at
the age of eleven and a half.
Pubic hair appears and the penis begins to enlarge
at twelve, and then the height spurt begins. Their spermarche occurs at
thirteen. At the age of fourteen, they reach the peak of their height spurt,
their facial hair begins to grow, and their voice begins to get deeper. After
this, the growth of their penis is complete. Then, at fifteen their pubic hair
growth is complete and the peak of their strength spurt has occurred. Finally,
after all of these changes, adult stature is reached. The most noticeable part
of male puberty seems to be the voice as it cracks a lot and the facial hair.
For me the most noticeable part of my puberty was the growth of my chest and the
arrival of my menstrual cycle. My face seemed to become oilier during this time
as well. This was not a fun part of growing up. Once again, as with all the
stages of physical development, nutrition and heredity have an impact on
puberty, but they mainly only deal with the timing. This age gap is
characteristic of the rep lacement of baby teeth with permanent ones. Writing
becomes more legible during this time as well. Organized games with rules begin
to become more and more common at this time as well. Puberty is the most
distinguishable part of human physical development. After puberty, it seems like
there are no more major physical changes that occur. I do not really feel like I
have changed that much since I was sixteen. I weigh more, and I seem to be less
flexible, but those are both things relative to daily activity. Early adulthood
is the next part of human physical development. Throughout the twenties and
thirties, early adulthood development occurs. During this time, physical changes
and the declines in the functioning of the body are so gradual that one can
hardly even notice them.
|
