Puberty In Boys- All That You Wanted To Know

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Written by Editorial Team

Editorial Team

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting..

Puberty is a period when your little boy grows both physically and emotionally from a child into a teenager and eventually into an adult. It does not happen overnight. Boys go through these changes over several years. It can be exciting yet befuddling. Emotional and physical changes are common during puberty. Continue reading to know more about this crucial phase in your son’s life.
voice cracking in boys

When Does Puberty Occur In Boys?

Puberty does not happen at the same time for all boys. Likewise, the rate or speed at which boys attain puberty varies. Boys can start showing signs of puberty from as early as 9 years or as late as 14 or 15 years. Once it begins, most boys finish their development in 2 to 5 years.

What Causes Puberty In Boys?

Hormones control puberty. The hormones, which play a vital role in attaining puberty, are made in the brain and in the testicles. To start with, the hypothalamus releases GnRH which reaches the pituitary gland as a result of which two essential hormones are produced called the:

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing hormone (LH)

These two hormones are present even prior to puberty but when the hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland, they are produced in bigger amount.
FSH, on reaching to the testes, leads to the development of seminiferous tubules. These are small tubes present in the testes where sperms are produced. After the formation of these tubules, the body starts to produce sperms.
LH stimulates the cells inside the testes to produce androgen. These cells are known as the Leydig cells. A man’s reproduction ability is influenced by the hormone androgens. There are different types of androgens. Among them, testosterone is the key androgen.
All these hormonal changes bring about physical and emotional changes in boys during puberty.

Physical Changes That Occur During Puberty In Boys

When boys begin puberty, there will be changes in several areas of their body. Some of the prominent changes that occur in boys during puberty are:

Testicles and penis start to become bigger
You will notice that your son will gain height in a very short span of time
He will become more muscular as muscle tissues start to form
Your boy’s shoulders will become broader
Hair will start to develop in areas like under arms, chest, face, arms, and legs
His voice will start to crack and get huskier
Swelling and tenderness will appear underneath nipples, which eventually fades away
He will sweat more as more sweat glands are produced during this period and as a result of this, body odor will develop
Boys will tart to break out during this phase. You will notice pimples appearing on his face, mostly on his forehead
When boys reach puberty, they will start to notice erections occurring more often. This is perfectly normal and can happen anytime even during sleep
Wet dreams will also occur in boys. This is the time when body will start making more testosterone. Puberty prepares a boy’s body for reproduction
Towards the last phase of puberty, the rate of growth slows down. Your son will reach his adult height and his genitals will reach their adult size. Darker, coarser, and curlier hair growth will appear in the pubic area

Emotional Changes That Occur During Puberty In Boys?

Puberty not only brings about physical changes in boys but it also impacts their thoughts and feelings. You will notice the following emotional changes in your little man. Also read: Does Your Growing Boy Resist Your Kisses and Hugs in Public?

Mood swings: Boys often go through mood swings during puberty. They might feel upbeat and jovial one moment and may get extremely irritated the very next second
Issues with self-confidence: A lot of boys feel uncomfortable about the physical changes happening in their body which creates problems with their self-confidence
Develops strong crushes: Every boy has his own set of likes and dislikes. And during puberty, some boys get very friendly with girls while others might just get nervous about talking to girls. Sex hormone start developing during puberty so it is a normal process to like someone or have a crush on some girl during this phase

puberty in boys

How To Manage The Emotional And Physical Changes During Puberty?

Boys experience a considerable confusing and startling changes during puberty. Although it is a natural part of growing up, he will need lot of emotional support and understanding from his family members.

Insist your son to catch enough sleep: During the puberty phase it is imperative that boys get enough sleep. Therefore, urge your son to stop watching TV or playing with gadgets till late in the night. Make sure he is getting at least 9 hours sleep per day
Nutritious food: During his growing up phase, your son will get hungry more frequently. This is the phase when they fall prey to junk foods. Therefore, urge him to have proper home cooked nutritious food as balanced diet plays a significant role in managing the physical and emotional changes during puberty
Exercise: Making exercises a part of life during this phase helps not only in developing a good physique but also to get rid of muscle pains that can occur during this period
More outdoor activities: Persuade your kid to engage in more outdoor activities like swimming, playing, cycling, etc. than spending more time playing indoor video games or watching movies
Monitor your kid closely without his knowledge: This is a very delicate phase. Your son may have a lot of pressure from his peers and friends. These days’ kids have access to a lot of information online. So ensure that you are closely monitoring your son and his activities during this time. Closely watch the sites he is surfing, channels he is watching, type of video games he is playing. But make sure you are doing all this without his knowledge

How To Encourage Your Son To Stop Feeling Embarrassed About His Body?

Puberty is both an exciting as well as awkward time for boys. There may be times when your son might start feeling embarrassed about the changes happening in his body. It is imperative that you regularly talk to your son about these changes and explain to him that these are temporary changes and a part of growing up and everyone goes through this phase. Tell him that the cracks in his voice won’t last forever and his body will reach a steady shape and size soon. Try to answer all his queries related to growth and development taking place in his body so that he feels confident about his body and stops getting embarrassed about the temporary changes happening during puberty.
Also Read: Early Puberty in Girls – Signs, Causes, Effects and Risks.

Editorial Team,

With a rich experience in pregnancy and parenting, our team of experts create insightful, well-curated, and easy-to-read content for our to-be-parents and parents at all stages of parenting.Read more.

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