Puberty: Issues, Concerns, and How to Manage Them

Puberty: Issues, Concerns, and How to Manage Them

In this lesson, you will demonstrate ways on how to manage puberty-related health issues and concerns.

You will also answer this question: How can you show empathy to those who are going through puberty-related health concerns?

Let's Get Ready

Share what you think about this quote: "You are no longer a child but not yet an adult.

Lets find out 

In this lesson, you will be able to do the following 

 Describe the common health issues and concerns during puberty. (H5GD-le-f-5

Practice proper self-care procedures. (H5GD-II-10)

Demonstrate ways to manage puberty-related health issues and concerns.

Accept that most of these concerns are normal consequences of bodily changes.

(H5GD-||-9)

Demonstrate empathy for persons undergoing these concerns and problems.

Let's Go 

"Why have not I developed physically as fast as my friends?"

 "How do I know when I will start having my period?" 

"Do boys also have menstruation?"

"Why do I pee on the bed like my baby brother?" 

"Will I still have a baby even if I am not old enough to get married?"

These are some of the many questions that adolescents have. There is no best time to go through puberty and you will experience these changes when your body is ready. The passage from childhood to adulthood can be an awkward and confusing time but having the right information from trusted adults makes it easy. With these physical, emotional, and social changes, you will experience various puberty-related health issues and concerns.

Puberty-related Health Issues and Concerns

1. Nutritional Issues

Your increase in appetite will make you crave for different kinds of food. While you are enjoying these, make sure you choose food and beverages that are not just filling but also nutritious. Use the nutritional guidelines for Filipinos your age, making sure you take the right amount of serving and a variety from each category. There are a lot of these so choose the ones that are fresh, safe, and reasonably priced.

2. Mood Swings

The shifts in certain hormones will trigger feelings of restlessness, irritability, anxiety, excitement, happiness, and frustration. Mood swings can be frustrating to you and it also affects the people around you. While having mood swings is normal, apologize if you realized that you hurt someone with what you have said or done, then continue being emotionally healthy.

3. Body Odor

With increased perspiration added with bacteria, you develop body odor. You can stop this stinky smell in your armpits or in other parts of your body by keeping clean. When this happens, continue having a regular bath using antibacterial soap. Applying deodorant or antiperspirant will help cut the sweat.

Do not let the sweat refrain you from working out or playing sports. Simply take a bath and wear clean clothes again after your PE class or when the weather is still very humid and makes you very sweaty and smelly.

4. Oral Health Concerns 

Did you know that increased hormones also cause redness, bleeding, and swelling of gums? Adolescents also have a higher prevalence of gingivitis compared to children and adults. Cavities and bad breath can also happen. You can avoid these by brushing your teeth for 2 minutes using toothpaste with fluoride. Bring a dental kit in school and visit your dentist at least twice a year.

5. Pimples or acne 

Another uncomfortable situation is having pimples or acne. These bumps on your face make it unpleasant to look at the mirror. And even if you are not looking at the mirror, you will still feel conscious about it. To keep your skin clean, wash your hands thoroughly, then apply facial wash. If the breakout is still out of hand, you can ask your parents or see a doctor.

6. Poor Posture

Likee what you learned in your Physical Education class, posture not only helps you look good but also makes you feel good. Your back, neck, and other parts of your body do not get strained because you have an equal amount of body weight in your spine. Do not slouch or crane your neck like a chicken. Observing proper posture when you are sitting, sleeping, standing, and walking will make you feel comfortable and confident at the same time!

Girls who are self-conscious about their height and breasts have the tendency to slouch. If you know anyone who is going through this, do not tease. Instead, make her feel good about herself. Do the same for boys who are too tall compared to their friends.

7. Menstruation-related Concern

During the menstrual period, some girls experience abdominal cramps or dysmenorrhea. This painful menstruation is caused by contractions of the uterus. Girls can take a warm bath then apply heating pad on their stomach while they sit or lie down. For severe cramps, the doctor can advise them on which medicine to take. Another discomfort can also happen before the menstrual period. This is called premenstrual syndrome or PMS. The change in hormone levels before the menstruation begins makes girls feel bloated, nervous, irritable, and have headaches.

8. Early or Unwanted Pregnancy 

Puberty is not a single event. It is a long process that has been reached when males and females have the physical capability to reproduce. Early sexual involvement and sexual risk-taking behaviors put the youth at risk of early and unwanted pregnancy. It creates academic problems because the young mother or father will face the realities of being a parent. Some skip class while others drop out of school. They find it hard to juggle the challenges of adjusting to a new relationship, earning a living, and completing their education. This overwhelming responsibility is stressful to teenagers and may also affect their innocent baby.

9. Sexual Harassment

Having a maturing reproductive system also puts adolescents at risk of sexual harassment. You need to distinguish good touch from bad touch. If it does not feel right, go with your gut feel and say "stop it!". Leave the place as soon as you can and tell a trusted adult immediately about that uncomfortable experience. Do not be afraid because you are a minor and it is your right to be protected.

Adolescence is a time of change. While you enjoy some privileges like being treated like an adult, you also need to remain curious and cautious about these changes in your body. You will experience emotional changes like doubts, fears, and anxieties but most adolescents overcome them eventually, thanks to the patience and understanding of your parents and teachers. With their basic knowledge of the reproductive system and how it works, they understand the effects of these changes on you. 

You too can show empathy or being aware of the feelings of others by giving them space when they need to be alone to think things through. When they are ready, you can talk to them about how they feel. If you need the help of trusted adults, go to them so that you can clarify your questions or concerns. Not being part of the teasing also shows empathy.

During adolescence, you will have increased feelings of independence and sexuality. Having a positive attitude will help you handle these changes.

How can you show empathy to those who are going through puberty-related health concerns?

Self-care and Management

These puberty-related health issues and concerns will make you realize that you have a responsibility to keep yourself clean, safe, and healthy.

Practice proper diet and exercise. Remember to keep clean by maintaining body and oral hygiene especially during menstruation or circumcision. Abstain from sexual activity to prevent sexually-transmitted infections. For girls, there are infections that are not related to sexual behavior but only a doctor can give proper treatment. Have monthly breast self-examination and have a yearly checkup of your reproductive system. Make it a point to practice these self-care procedures so that you will continue to grow up living clean, healthy, and safe.

Puberty: Changes, Myths, and Misconceptions

 

Puberty: Changes, Myths, and Misconceptions

In this lesson, you will describe the common misconceptions related to puberty.

You will also answer this question: Why are these physical, emotional, and social changes a normal part of growth and development?

Let's Get Ready

Have you noticed some changes in your body? What are these changes? When you hear the word "puberty," what comes to your mind? Share your answer in class.

Let's Find Out

In this lesson, you will be able to do the following

 Describe the physical, emotional, and Social Changes during puberty.

Describe common misconceptions related in puberty.

Accept changes as a normal part of growth and development

Let's Go

When you were 6-8 years old, you were in a period called middle childhood. Right now you are in the late childhood, which is also called the tween years. Another term for it is preadolescence because it is the stage of development before adolescence.

You begin to have permanent teeth; your muscles and bones begin to grow; and you experience an increased appetite. You can accomplish tasks, praised in doing them well, cherish values like honesty and fairness, and challenged to learn higher-order thinking skills so that you are able to finish tasks and take on new challenges. You are also given responsibilities like doing household chores. At preadolescence, friends become an important part of your life.

These changes are both exciting and challenging at the same time. When you reach adolescence or the gradual change from a child into an adult, you will continue to experience more changes. Let us go and learn the changes that you may already be experiencing or will soon be experiencing.

Are you excited to change from a child into an adult? Why?

Changes during Puberty

Puberty is a long process that includes many physical and emotional changes. These changes are gradual so that means you will not wake up and find yourself having all these changes overnight.

Adolescents grow up fast and go through puberty or the changes that happen to your reproductive system. Aside from height and muscle mass increase, you will see the appearance of adult features. Appearance of body hair, increase in muscle strength, increase in perspiration, skin is releasing more oils, and deepening of the voice are the secondary sex characteristics that happen to both girls and boys.

The development of these secondary sex characteristics is caused by sex hormones. It is low in childhood but increases in puberty.

Individually, boys will have broader shoulders and the appearance of hairs on their chest and face while girls will develop breasts, have increased body fat, and wider hips. The ovulation in girls and sperm production in boys signals reproductive maturity or the ability to produce children.

While all these are happening, adolescents also go through emotional and social changes. You will begin to wonder and question things about yourself and the people around you. You will search for your identity, thinking of what significant things you will do in your life, just like your role models. You begin to develop your values as you search for meaning and identity so you spend more time with your friends. They have a strong influence about your feelings about yourself, the way you look, how you dress, what you do, and all other personal things that you share with them.

Searching for your life's meaning, values, and identity will make you feel uncertain, overly sensitive, and have fears and doubts. You become self-conscious of your body and begin to notice the opposite sex in a different way. It is a roller coaster of emotions!

Peer pressure can be a good or bad thing. Knowing your values will help guide you to hang out with friends who will influence you to become a better person.

Being an adolescent also means having responsibility for your actions and decisions As you become a bit independent from your parents, you will realize your role in the family so you show that you can obey house rules and support family members when they feel down. Outside your home, you will realize that your friends are not just other people you play with. You support their dreams and advise them when you think they are engaging in risky behavior. Likewise, you have a responsibility as a member of the society so you get involved in civic activities like community planting, cleaning, and helping the less fortunate. Doing these will make you feel good because you were able to contribute in making the world a better place to live in.

Which physical, emotional, and social changes do adolescents experieces? 

Puberty-related Health Myths and Misconceptions

Physical changes can be overwhelming, which make adolescents embarrassed or confused. Sometimes, these changes do not happen at the same time as with your friends. Whether the adolescent is an early bloomer, a late bloomer, or just in between, the curiosity of these physical changes can lead to some health myths and misconceptions.

For girls, the confusion is usually with menstruation because they experience it every month. Adults advise girls not to take part in physical activities, refrain from carrying heavy loads, and avoid eating sour and salty food, Some of these advice are funny, like not taking a bath and using menarche or first menstrual period as facial wash. Each of these have no scientific basis and it is also unhygienic.

Boys, on the other hand, go through circumcision at the appropriate maturational stage. They also experience nocturnal emissions when they are sleeping. Some adults would tell them that it is caused by preoccupation of sexual thoughts. In truth, it cannot be prevented and there is no warning when it will happen.

Knowing these changes, myths, and misconceptions will help you understand what to expect when you change from a child into an adult. Do not be ashamed or feel alone because these changes are normal part of growth and development. Learning about them will help prepare you on what to expect and what you can do to properly address them in order to avoid confusion and anxiety. Your parents and other trusted adults can help explain these changes to you.

Whom do you talk with when you have concerns about the changes in your body?

Why are these changes a normal part of growth and development?

Let's Summarize

Adolescence is the gradual change from a child into an adult. At this stage.one experiences many physical, emotional, and social changes.

Aside from growth spurt, adolescents experience puberty or the changes that happen to a maturing reproductive system. Secondary sex characteristics can happen to girls alone, boys alone, or both of them. Puberty is a long process that includes many physical and emotional changes. 

Puberty-related health myths and misconceptions are related to menstruation

for girls and nocturnal emissions and circumcision for boys.

These changes are a normal part of growth and development so adolescents should not feel alone while experiencing them. Learning about the changes will help prepare preadolescents on what to expect and how to properly address them to avoid confusion and anxiety.