Chapter 3 — Growth and Development during Adolescence

It covers growth and development during adolescence (ages 10–19), including physical changes triggered by sex hormones, secondary sexual characteristics, menstrual hygiene, psychosocial changes, risks of adolescent pregnancy, and vital body statistics like BMI and blood pressure.

The chapter describes growth as the physical increase in body size — height, weight, bone length, and muscle mass — while development refers to the broader maturation process including mental, emotional, and social changes that occur during adolescence.

Adolescence covers 10 to 19 years of age. Puberty merges into adolescence at around 10 years and adolescence generally lasts till 19 years.

The onset of puberty involves increased secretion of sex hormones — testosterone in males, and estrogen and progesterone in females.

The two unique features are: (i) a spurt in physical growth due to rapid acceleration in skeletal, muscular, and glandular tissue, and (ii) it is the period between the onset of puberty and adulthood.

According to the chapter, adult height is generally reached between 14 and 18 years of age, and the peak of muscle mass growth is typically around 14 to 16 years.

Secondary sexual characteristics include: increase in height and weight (both sexes), menstruation (girls), change in voice (boys), growth of hair on private parts, widening of shoulders, broadening of hips (girls), development of breasts (girls), and activation of sweat and oil glands.

Menarche is the term for the first menstruation. In India, the age of menarche is 12–13 years, though it may vary from individual to individual.

Menopause is when menstruation generally stops. It occurs between the age of 45 and 55 years, though the exact age varies in different individuals.

Yes. Wet dreams are a normal and natural physiological process in boys that usually occurs during sleep. It is a discharge of semen containing sperms. The belief that wet dreams cause weakness is a myth — semen and sperms are continuously produced in the testes and the lost semen is replaced very soon.

Risks include: the mother being mentally unprepared, likelihood of anemia, greater risk of maternal death during childbirth, higher infant mortality, complications during delivery, possible damage to the reproductive tract, and delays in the mother's education and career.

Psychosocial changes are changes in thoughts, mood, attractions, and friendships. Adolescents develop a sense of identity and personality, may distance from parents, grow closer to peers, and can feel vulnerable to peer pressure.

BMI = weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. Normal BMI range is 18 to 25. Above 25 and below 29 is overweight. Above 30 is obese.

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by blood on the wall of the arteries. In a normal healthy young adult it is 110/75 mm Hg (110 mm Hg systolic and 75 mm Hg diastolic). It is measured with a sphygmomanometer. Abnormally high BP is called hypertension.

The seven stages are: Prenatal (280 days of pregnancy), Neonatal (birth to 28 days), Infancy (28 days to 1 year), Childhood (1 to 10 years), Adolescence (10 to 19 years), Adulthood (20 years onwards), and Old age (60 years and above).

Pharmacology deals with the biological effects of drugs. Drugs are chemical substances used for healing, curing, slowing, or preventing diseases. The chapter warns against buying medicines over the counter without a doctor's prescription and notes that medication errors or overdoses can be harmful.

Yes, it is free to download with no sign-up.