Improved gross and fine motor skills
Eagerness to experiment and learn new things
Increased attention towards own appearance and looks
Trying to build independent identity and be treated with respect by parents, other adults, and peers
Desire to make new friends and to socialise
Increasingly influenced by peers
Energetic and enthusiastic with increased spirit of fun and adventure
Mood swings and emotional instability—frequent changes in emotions like anger, love and feelings towards friends; impulsive behaviour
Development of aspirations for future; increased concern about career
Begins taking decisions about self
Need for appreciation and recognition
Change is a hallmark of adolescence.
Changes occur in the body, in the way they feel and think which in turn impacts their behavior.
Adolescence is phase in life when individuals develop:
Unique identity
Independent thoughts
Relationships
Interests and opinions which are vital to the process of growing up.
Adolescence is a time for explorations and fun, new hopes and excitement
Adolescence is also a time to know oneself and learn to better manage one’s emotions and behaviour.
Physical changes Adolescence
Adolescence is a period of physical and emotional changes which are triggered by a set of hormones.
Do not compare your own physical changes with others.
Changes occur at different times for different individuals.
Natural to feel awkward or conscious of the changes that occur but try to support each other by accepting these as part of a natural process and don’t let these decrease your self-confidence.
For any doubts or concerns about changes that are occurring reach out to a trusted adult or nearest Adolescent Friendly Health Clinic or Health and Wellness Centre
Faget about Menstruation
menstruation is the regular flow of blood and tissues from girls’ uterus in a monthly cycle.
It usually continues for three to five days in each cycle. Individual variations may occur.
If the bleeding continues for more than seven days regularly, consult a doctor.
Should not interfere with the daily routine or anything they may want to do.
Some girls and women feel energetic during their periods. Some experience low energy, or have backache, abdominal pain, headache, etc.
Some experience anxiety or feel emotional or/and some discomforts due to hormonal fluctuations in the body.
It usually begins in girls anytime between the ages of 9-16 years (menarche) and stops (menopause) around 45-55 years. Length of cycle varies from 21 to 45 days.
If a girl does not begin her periods until the age of 16, it is advisable to consult a qualified doctor.
Regular Maintaining Hygiene
Regular bath and washing self properly are important for avoiding infections.
Change undergarments regularly (at least once a day) and avoid synthetic cloth.
During menstruation, cloth, cloth pads, or napkins should be changed after every four to six hours to avoid infection.
You can also make sanitary napkins at home with old cloth and cotton. Use only clean, soft cotton cloth.
Ensure that the does not have any metal or plastic parts in it like glitter, ‘gota’ or hooks and buttons. This may hurt or cause infection.
If cloth is reused, it should be washed thoroughly with soap and dried in sun before next use as sunlight is an excellent disinfectant. Do not use dirty or damp cloth as it causes infections.
Sanitary pads should be wrapped in paper and disposed in trash bins or buried deep in a pit.
Some schools have incinerators which offer another safe way to dispose sanitary pads. There
should be no shame associated with in the process of disposing sanitary pads.
Government is supporting schemes for promoting
menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls (10-19 years). Sanitary napkins are made available free in schools or by (ASHA) Accredited Social Health Activists at a subsidised rate.
Nocturnal Emission
Formation and discharge of semen can occur during mid-adolescence and manifests as nocturnal emission.
It signifies reproductive maturity for an adolescent boy.
It indicates that sperm production has started in the body.
Nocturnal emission, also known as nightfall/wet dream, is normal and does not require any form of treatment.
It is a natural process that many boys (but not all) may experience during adolescence.
It has no negative influence on the body.
It is important to maintain hygiene.
Nocturnal Emission is a natural process that many boys (but not all) may experience during adolescence. It has no negative effect on the body.
Menstruation is a natural process that begins in girls during adolescence.
Take special care and maintain genital hygiene to stay healthy.
Having correct information about our body is very important.
Myths about Growing up and other changes
There are a number of beliefs around what girls can or cannot do during menstruation—it is important for everyone to evaluate them and check if they are accurate.
Socio-cultural norms related to menstrual cycle pose barriers for many girls to seek the knowledge and skills required for its hygienic management leading to unnecessary fear, embarrassment and shame among adolescent girls.
Poor hygiene can lead to infections.
The Beauty that Matters
Normal to think about one’s appearance at this age.
Each one of us is unique.
All have strengths and areas that may need to be improved but improvement can only be made when we accept who we are.
Acceptance of our body and recognition of our unique qualities will build our confidence and help us move ahead in life.
Feeling negatively about our own bodies or making people feel negatively about their bodies can have adverse effects on individuals.
A negative image of oneself can make people do things that can harm their body and mind, such as excessive diet control, trying beauty products that may be harmful, etc.
Positive thoughts about oneself and a greater focus on positive qualities will help in boosting self-confidence and enable us in living a fulfilling life.
Skills to counter stigmas and stereotypes during adolescence
Physical change varies across individuals.
Important to be sensitive towards peers who may be experiencing these changes faster or slower than others.
Accurate knowledge can equip us to counter some of the myths and stigmas related to puberty.
Youth friendly services can be accessed by adolescents to deal with growing up issues.
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