Life Span Development II School Age and Adolescence

Life Span Development II: School age and Adolescence 3 (2+1)

Lesson 15 : Pubertal Changes during Adolescence

Criteria used to determine the climax of puberty

1. Menarche: Is the occurrence of first menstruation usually overt sign of puberty among girls. At the same time secondary sex characteristics appear.

2. Nocturnal emissions: Popularly used as criteria of sexual maturity among boys. During the sleep they eject semen containing sperm cells.

3. X-ray of bones: the bones of hands and knees taken at different times during early adolescence indicate the status of growth spurt, when puberty changes began and at what rate it is progressing etc.

4. Urine Test: Presence of gonadotrophic hormone in the urine is also an indicator of puberty.