Transition from dependant childhood to independent adulthood
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Dr Ashwini Anil Kumar Sirapanasetty
Adolescence is a transitional period from childhood to adulthood, with an onset that includes pubertal maturation and an offset that is marked by independence from the parent.Children entering adolescence are going through many changes in their bodies andbrains. These include physical, intellectual, psychological and social challenges, as well as development of their own moral compass. The changes are rapid and often take place at different rates. It can be an exciting yet challenging time in the life of a teenager. Adolescence is the time when your child becomes more independent and begins to explore their identity.
Physical Changes-Beginning of the Puberty
Physical development in adolescence includes changes that occur through a process called puberty. During puberty, your child’s brain releases certain hormones. The hormones cause your child’s body to physically change and their sexual organs to mature. Your child will likely experience a growth spurt. During this time, they’ll grow rapidly in height and weight. Other physical changes may include body odour, acne and an increase in body hair. Growth spurts usually happen earlier for girls and adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) than for boys and adolescents assigned male at birth (AMAB). Most girls and adolescents AFAB have growth spurts between the ages of 10 and 14. Most boys and adolescents AMAB have growth spurts between the ages of 14 and 17.Girls and adolescents AFAB will begin to develop breasts. This can happen as young as age 10 and should start by age 14. They’ll also experience their first period (menstruation) — usually about two years after breasts and pubic hair are first noticeable. Boys and adolescents AMAB will see their penis and testicles grow. They’ll begin to experience erections & ejaculation. (Erections can also happen normally from before birth — as seen on ultrasound in utero — to old age.) These physical changes happen to everyone, but the timing and order can vary from person to person. Some adolescents mature early, while others mature later. Being on either end of this spectrum can cause the added stress of standing out amongst their peers. If Puberty is happening early (before age 8 for girls and adolescents AFAB and before age 9 for boys and adolescents AMAB) or late (after age 14 for girls and adolescents AFAB and after age 15 for boys and adolescents AMAB), see your pediatrician or an adolescent medicine doctor. They can help manage and treat this problem of puberty. Ignoring these problems can have an impact on bone development and growth.
Cognitive Changes.
Brain development in adolescence is on a higher level than that of childhood. Children are only able to think logically about the concrete — the here and now. Adolescents move beyond these limits and can think in terms of what might be true, rather than just what they see as true. They can deal with abstractions, test hypotheses and see infinite possibilities. Yet adolescents still often display egocentric behaviours and attitudes. During cognitive development in adolescence, large numbers of neurones grow rapidly. Your child’s body experiences an increase in the way these bundles of nerves connect. This allows for more complex, sophisticated thinking.
Emotional Changes/challenges.
During adolescence, your child will begin to observe, measure and manage their emotions. That means they’ll begin to become more aware of their own feelings and the feelings of others. The process of emotional development will give your child the opportunity to build their skills and discover their unique qualities. As they become more independent, some adolescents welcome these new challenges. Others may need more support to build their self-confidence.
Development of Self-esteem!
The physical, hormonal and emotional changes your child experiences during adolescence may affect their self-esteem. Teenagers who develop early or late compared to their peers may be self-conscious of their bodies. Fitting in becomes ever more important to their self-esteem. Self-esteem can be complex. Some adolescents may have high self-esteem around their families but low self-esteem around their peers. Instead of having a “helicopter parent” who swoops in and saves the day, or a “snowplow parent” who moves all challenges out of their child’s way, adolescents benefit most from a parent who’s a “lighthouse.” This kind of parent keeps their child in bounds whenever it’s a matter of safety or ethics, while allowing them to explore their own decision-making abilities. The role of caring adults who serve as a lighthouse can be life-changing for teens. While a challenging part of adolescence, it’s important that your child learns to accept who they are and gains a sense of capability. They can develop their self-esteem by:
1 Making mistakes
2 Learning from their mistakes
3 Holding themselves accountable for their actions
(To be contd)
Adolescence is a transitional period from childhood to adulthood, with an onset that includes pubertal maturation and an offset that is marked by independence from the parent.Children entering adolescence are going through many changes in their bodies andbrains. These include physical, intellectual, psychological and social challenges, as well as development of their own moral compass. The changes are rapid and often take place at different rates. It can be an exciting yet challenging time in the life of a teenager. Adolescence is the time when your child becomes more independent and begins to explore their identity.
Physical Changes-Beginning of the Puberty
Physical development in adolescence includes changes that occur through a process called puberty. During puberty, your child’s brain releases certain hormones. The hormones cause your child’s body to physically change and their sexual organs to mature. Your child will likely experience a growth spurt. During this time, they’ll grow rapidly in height and weight. Other physical changes may include body odour, acne and an increase in body hair. Growth spurts usually happen earlier for girls and adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) than for boys and adolescents assigned male at birth (AMAB). Most girls and adolescents AFAB have growth spurts between the ages of 10 and 14. Most boys and adolescents AMAB have growth spurts between the ages of 14 and 17.Girls and adolescents AFAB will begin to develop breasts. This can happen as young as age 10 and should start by age 14. They’ll also experience their first period (menstruation) — usually about two years after breasts and pubic hair are first noticeable. Boys and adolescents AMAB will see their penis and testicles grow. They’ll begin to experience erections & ejaculation. (Erections can also happen normally from before birth — as seen on ultrasound in utero — to old age.) These physical changes happen to everyone, but the timing and order can vary from person to person. Some adolescents mature early, while others mature later. Being on either end of this spectrum can cause the added stress of standing out amongst their peers. If Puberty is happening early (before age 8 for girls and adolescents AFAB and before age 9 for boys and adolescents AMAB) or late (after age 14 for girls and adolescents AFAB and after age 15 for boys and adolescents AMAB), see your pediatrician or an adolescent medicine doctor. They can help manage and treat this problem of puberty. Ignoring these problems can have an impact on bone development and growth.
Cognitive Changes.
Brain development in adolescence is on a higher level than that of childhood. Children are only able to think logically about the concrete — the here and now. Adolescents move beyond these limits and can think in terms of what might be true, rather than just what they see as true. They can deal with abstractions, test hypotheses and see infinite possibilities. Yet adolescents still often display egocentric behaviours and attitudes. During cognitive development in adolescence, large numbers of neurones grow rapidly. Your child’s body experiences an increase in the way these bundles of nerves connect. This allows for more complex, sophisticated thinking.
Emotional Changes/challenges.
During adolescence, your child will begin to observe, measure and manage their emotions. That means they’ll begin to become more aware of their own feelings and the feelings of others. The process of emotional development will give your child the opportunity to build their skills and discover their unique qualities. As they become more independent, some adolescents welcome these new challenges. Others may need more support to build their self-confidence.
Development of Self-esteem!
The physical, hormonal and emotional changes your child experiences during adolescence may affect their self-esteem. Teenagers who develop early or late compared to their peers may be self-conscious of their bodies. Fitting in becomes ever more important to their self-esteem. Self-esteem can be complex. Some adolescents may have high self-esteem around their families but low self-esteem around their peers. Instead of having a “helicopter parent” who swoops in and saves the day, or a “snowplow parent” who moves all challenges out of their child’s way, adolescents benefit most from a parent who’s a “lighthouse.” This kind of parent keeps their child in bounds whenever it’s a matter of safety or ethics, while allowing them to explore their own decision-making abilities. The role of caring adults who serve as a lighthouse can be life-changing for teens. While a challenging part of adolescence, it’s important that your child learns to accept who they are and gains a sense of capability. They can develop their self-esteem by:
1 Making mistakes
2 Learning from their mistakes
3 Holding themselves accountable for their actions
(To be contd)