Jeff hates gym class. It's not that he minds playing soccer or basketball or
any of the other activities. But he does dread going into the locker room at the
end of class and showering in front of his friends. Although the other guys'
bodies are growing and changing, his body seems to be stuck at a younger age.
He's shorter than most of the other guys in his grade, and his voice hasn't
deepened at all. It's embarrassing to still look like a little kid.
Abby knows what it's like to feel different, too. The bikini tops that her
friends fill out lie flat on her. Most of them have their periods, too, and she
hasn't had even a sign of one. Abby doesn't even really have to shave her legs
or underarms, although she does it just to be like everyone else.
Both Jeff and Abby wonder and worry, "What's wrong with me?"
What Is Delayed Puberty?
Puberty is
the time when your body grows from a child's to an adult's. You'll know that you
are going through puberty by the way that your body changes. If you're a girl,
you'll notice that your breasts develop and your pubic hair grows, that you have
a growth spurt, and that you get your period (menstruation).
The overall shape of your body will probably change, too - your hips will widen
and your body will become curvier. If you're a guy, you'll start growing pubic
and facial hair, have a growth spurt, and your testicles and penis will get larger.
Your body shape will also begin to change - your shoulders will widen and your
body will become more muscular. These changes are caused by the sex hormones
(testosterone in guys and estrogen in girls) that your body begins producing in
much larger amounts than before.
Puberty takes place over a number of years, and the age at which it starts
and ends varies widely. It generally begins somewhere between the ages of 7 and
13 for girls, and somewhere between the ages of 9 and 15 for guys, although it
can be earlier or later for some people. This wide range in age is normal, and
it's why you may develop
several years earlier (or later) than most of your friends.
Sometimes, however, teens pass this normal age range for puberty without
showing any signs of body changes. This is called delayed puberty.
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