National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Puberty is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Puberty
Puberty is the time in life when a boy or girl becomes sexually mature. It is a physical change that usually happens between ages 10 and 14 for girls and ages 12 and 16 for boys. Puberty affects boys and girls differently.
In girls:
- The first sign of puberty is usually breast development.
- Other signs are the growth of hair in the pubic area and armpits, and acne.
- Menstruation (or a period) usually happens last.
In boys:
- Puberty usually begins with the testicles and penis getting bigger.
- Then hair grows in the pubic area and armpits.
- Muscles grow, the voice deepens, and acne and facial hair develop as puberty continues.
Both boys and girls also usually have a growth spurt (a rapid increase in height) that lasts for about 2 or 3 years. This brings them closer to their adult height, which they reach after puberty.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Start Here
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Puberty(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Puberty: What to Expect When Your Child Goes through Puberty(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Puberty
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Basics
For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
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The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Everything You Wanted to Know about Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Latest News
- Breastfeeding, Early Milk Not Tied to Puberty Timing(08/23/2012, Reuters Health)
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Blood Test: Estradiol(Nemours Foundation)
- Blood Test: Testosterone(Nemours Foundation)
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Specific Conditions
- Delayed Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Precocious Puberty(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Precocious Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
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Related Issues
- Sweating(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Talking to Your Child about Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Puberty(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Puberty
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Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: Familial male-limited precocious puberty(National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Familial male-limited precocious puberty
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Research
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Biology, Not Just Society, May Increase Risk of Binge Eating During Puberty(National Institute of Mental Health)
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Biology, Not Just Society, May Increase Risk of Binge Eating During Puberty
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Organizations
- KidsHealth(Nemours Foundation)
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Children
- All about Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
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Men
- Boys and Puberty(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Puberty(Children's Hospital Boston)
- Why Is My Voice Changing?(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Your Child's Changing Voice(Nemours Foundation)
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Women
- Puberty(Children's Hospital Boston)
- Puberty(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- When Will I Get My Period?(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Precocious puberty
- Also available in Spanish
- Puberty and adolescence
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
