Puberty Information for Parents and Kids

Written by Robert Myers, PhD

As children approach and move through adolescence, they proceed through the following five stages of puberty:

	Boys	Girls
Stage one	Prepubertal No sexual development	Prepubertal No sexual development
Stage two	Testes enlarge Body odor	Breast budding First pubic hair Body odor Height spurt
Stage three	Penis enlarges Pubic hair starts growing Ejaculation (wet dreams)	Breasts enlarge Pubic hair darkens, becomes curlier Vaginal discharge
Stage four	Continued enlargement of testes and penis Penis and scrotal sac deepen in color Pubic hair curlier and coarser Height spurt Male breast development	Onset of menstruation Nipple is distinct from areola
Stage five	Fully mature adult Pubic hair extends to inner thighs Increases in height slow, then stop	Fully mature female Pubic hair extends to inner thighs Increases in height slow, then stop