Have no idea "where" to go to learn about it? Well, I thought I'd include some of that sensitive information to broaden your knowledge.
Females Males
Early sexual maturation (adrenarche) between 6 and 9 between 7 and 10
Menarche (start of menstruation) between 10 and 16.5
Ovulation 50% of girls start
2 to 3 years after menarche
Spermarche between 11 and 15
Breast budding between ages 8 and 13
Breast maturity between 13 and 18
Testes early development between 9.5 and 13.5
Testicular maturity between 13.5 and 17
Penis growth spurt between 10.5 and 14.5
Penis reaches adult size between 12.5 and 16.5
Height velocity
Females: between 9.5 and 14.5
Males: between 10.5 and 16
Weight velocity
Females: peaks at 12.5
Males: slightly after height spurt
Frontal lobe gray matter* peaks at 11 peaks at 12
Parietal lobe gray matter** peaks at 10 peaks at 12
Temporal lobe gray matter*** peaks at 17 peaks at 17
Depressive symptoms
Females: increases between ages 13-15; decreases between ages 18-19
Males: increased between 18 and 19
Frequency of family conflict
Females: declines from early to mid-adolescence and again from mid-to- late adolescence and declining further in late adolescence
Males: intensity of family conflict increases from early-to-mid adolescence, but are less frequent and more intense around 14 years
Drinking as young at 10 years with the average of 15.5 for both groups
First intercourse average for both groups is 15 years
Greatest risk of HIV, STDs and unwanted pregnancy occurs for both groups between ages 15 and 19
Gray matter, generally, is involved in those areas of the brain responsible for muscle control and sensory perception such as seeing and hearing as well as memory, emotions, speech, decision-making and self-control.
The temporal lobe is responsible for sensory processing. It helps to attach meaning to visual information, understanding language and the association of emotions with events and information. It also helps with developing new memories.
The frontal lobe is located direction behind the forehead and is one of the areas that is most sensitive to dopamine (the reward system). Dopamine is also associated with attention, planning, motivation and plays a critical role in short-term memory tasks. The frontal lobe is critical for having a productive life because it has a major role in voluntary movement and allows us to consider future consequences based on current actions. It helps us to make decision regarding “good and bad” and suppresses unacceptable responses and the determination and similarities between things and events.
The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from all parts of the body. It also plays a role in the knowledge of number and their relationships to other information as well as the manipulation of objects. The parietal lobe processes information from the sense of touch.
If you’d like to educate yourself about developmental stages of male genitalia, female breasts and pubic hair in both males and females, look up Tanner scale for specific descriptions.
Tracking the maturity of their "sexual parts" is critical, as it is in other areas, to intervene as early as possible if a problem arises. Understanding the growth patterns of gray matter allows you to understand their problem-solving skills and social development.
As always, just do the best you can. TTFN, Claudia