Puberty in Girls | Elementary Health Education for Ages 8–12 — Transcript

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1. 0:00Hey there, I'm Greta and I'm a women's
2. 0:02wellness coach and I'm so glad you're
3. 0:04here. Let's talk about growing up and
4. 0:07how a girl's body changes during puberty
5. 0:09so that you know what to expect as you
6. 0:12get older. So, what is puberty? Puberty
7. 0:15is a time when your body starts changing
8. 0:17because of special messengers called
9. 0:19hormones. Hormones help your body grow
10. 0:21taller, stronger, and prepare it for
11. 0:24adulthood. These changes happen slowly
12. 0:27over several years, not all at once.
13. 0:30Let's talk about some of the most common
14. 0:32changes you'll notice during puberty.
15. 0:34One of the first changes that girls
16. 0:35notice is breast development. You might
17. 0:38feel a small bump or swelling under one
18. 0:41or both nipples and a little soreness or
19. 0:44tenderness. These bumps are called
20. 0:46breast buds and they're often the first
21. 0:49sign of puberty. Breast buds can begin
22. 0:51to develop anywhere between the ages of
23. 0:548 and 13.
24. 0:56It's very normal for one side to start
25. 0:58growing before the other, for growth to
26. 1:00happen slowly, and for breasts to grow
27. 1:03at different speeds. Breasts continue to
28. 1:06develop over several years. This may be
29. 1:09a time when you start wearing a training
30. 1:11bra.
31. 1:12Another change you'll notice is new hair
32. 1:14growing. This can include hair under
33. 1:17your arms, hair on the outside of your
34. 1:19vulva called pubic hair, and hair on
35. 1:21your legs becoming darker and thicker.
36. 1:24This usually starts after breast buds
37. 1:26appear, but again, everyone's body has
38. 1:29its own schedule. Eventually, you may
39. 1:32decide to shave this hair. Be sure to
40. 1:34ask a trusted adult to help you shave
41. 1:36safely for the first time.
42. 1:38Body odor. As you grow, the sweat glands
43. 1:41under your arms also start to change.
44. 1:44That's why your sweat might start to
45. 1:46smell stronger. You might want to start
46. 1:48wearing deodorant and daily bathing
47. 1:50becomes more important. Now, let's talk
48. 1:53about periods, also called menstruation.
49. 1:57There is a place inside of your body
50. 1:59called your uterus. Once you start your
51. 2:01period, each month your uterus practices
52. 2:04building a uterine lining, which is like
53. 2:06a soft, cozy home for a baby to one day
54. 2:08grow in. But when pregnancy doesn't
55. 2:10happen, that lining isn't needed, so it
56. 2:13sheds off and comes out of your body
57. 2:15through your vagina as period blood.
58. 2:19When you start your period, you'll put a
59. 2:20pad in your underwear. The pad will
60. 2:22absorb the period blood and keep you
61. 2:24comfortable.
62. 2:26Once you start your period, it will come
63. 2:27once a month and last about 3 to 7 days.
64. 2:32It is not an injury or something bad.
65. 2:34It's just a natural part of growing up
66. 2:37and going from a girl to a woman. Most
67. 2:40girls get their first period between the
68. 2:42ages of 10 and 15 years old, often about
69. 2:462 years after breast buds start to form.
70. 2:50Before your first period starts, you may
71. 2:52notice clear or white discharge in your
72. 2:54underwear, and this is completely
73. 2:57normal. You might also notice mood
74. 2:59changes,
75. 3:00mild cramps and tummy aches. You can
76. 3:03make a simple period kit to keep in your
77. 3:06backpack or locker at school, so you're
78. 3:08prepared for whenever your period
79. 3:10starts. In a little bag, add several
80. 3:13pads and a fresh pair of underwear.
81. 3:16Growth spurts.
82. 3:17One big part of puberty is something
83. 3:19called a growth spurt. This is a time
84. 3:21when your body grows taller and faster
85. 3:23than usual. For many girls, growth
86. 3:26spurts can begin anywhere between ages 8
87. 3:28and 13.
88. 3:30Some girls notice changes earlier, and
89. 3:33some girls notice changes later, and
90. 3:35both are completely normal. During a
91. 3:37growth spurt, you might grow several
92. 3:39inches in a short period of time. You
93. 3:41might need new clothes or shoes more
94. 3:43often, and you might feel extra hungry
95. 3:46or tired.
96. 3:47You also might notice aches in your legs
97. 3:50or knees, often called growing pains.
98. 3:53Most girls grow quickly for 1 to 2
99. 3:55years, and then their growth slows down.
100. 3:57Many will reach their adult height a few
101. 3:59years after their first period, though
102. 4:01small changes in height can continue
103. 4:03into your late teens. When will all
104. 4:06these changes happen? Here's a general
105. 4:08timeline, but remember everyone grows at
106. 4:11their own pace. Between the ages of 8
107. 4:13and 10, breast buds may begin to form
108. 4:16and body odor may change. Between the
109. 4:19ages of 9 and 12, hair growth starts and
110. 4:22growth spurts happen.
111. 4:25Between the ages of 10 and 15, your
112. 4:27first period may come.
113. 4:29Some girls start earlier, some later.
114. 4:32All of it is normal. Here are some
115. 4:34important reminders. Your body will
116. 4:36change in its own timing. Puberty does
117. 4:39not happen overnight, and it's okay to
118. 4:42ask questions. Talking to a trusted
119. 4:44adult like a parent, teacher, caregiver,
120. 4:47doctor, or coach can really help. You've
121. 4:51got this, girl.