Growing up can be scary and exciting at the same time. Lots of changes happen and it's good to be able to talk to someone about what you are experiencing. We all need a bit of advice and support with sex and relationships stuff. Friends and family are a great source of support and you get some good advice in magazines too, and it's good to know that within this website you can access lots of information on sexual health and sexual health services.
Puberty
Puberty is used to describe the changes that take place when a child grows into an adult. It is controlled by hormones, which travel all over the body delivering instructions to grow and develop. A lot of changes take place over a number of years, both physically and emotionally. It can be a complex time for young people.
Boys usually go through puberty between the ages of 10 and 18 years old, whereas puberty in girls usually occurs between 9 and 17 years old. Although everyone goes through puberty, everyone experiences it differently and it occurs at different times and different rates.
There is more detailed information about the changes that take place during puberty in the sections below.
