How to deal with puberty in a boy

Puberty is when a child's body begins to develop and change as they become an adult.

Signs of puberty include girls developing breasts and starting periods, and boys developing a larger penis and testicles, a deeper voice and a more muscular appearance.

The average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12.

But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys.

There's not usually any need to worry if puberty does not start around the average age, but it's a good idea to speak to your GP for advice if it starts before 8 or has not started by around 14.

In some cases, early puberty or delayed puberty could be a sign of an underlying condition that may need to be treated.

Early puberty

Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, is when:

• girls have signs of puberty before 8 years of age
• boys have signs of puberty before 9 years of age

Some girls and boys may develop certain signs of puberty at a young age, but not others.

For example, girls ma

when does puberty start for girls

when does puberty start and end