THE THREE STAGES OF ADOLESCENCE AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN EACH OF THEM

Throughout our lives we go through different stages that we could divide broadly in childhood, adolescence and adult life. However, these include even smaller and more defined "sections", in which various changes occur in our development.

One of them is adolescence, which ranges from puberty to the beginning of adulthood. We tell you all about the three stages of adolescence, and what you can expect in each of them.

Adolescence

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence is a stage that is between 10 and 19 years old, because there is no fixed age for all children since each one develops at their own pace.

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Because of this, the stages of adolescence are not entirely limited to a particular age, but They are generally divided into three: early adolescence, middle adolescence and late adolescence. This is what you can expect in each of them.

Early adolescence

Early adolescence usually takes place from 10 and 11 years to 13. This is the stage of transition from children to adolescents and in which they begin to see the first notorious changes in the development of children, and that are happening in an accelerated way.

During early adolescence, the famous occurs "pubertal stretch", in which the bones of the body begin to grow rapidly and unevenly, which could give a somewhat clumsy appearance when trying to coordinate movements, and the appearance of discomfort in some joints is common.

In this stage, the body has also begun to make sex hormones, who are responsible for other physical changes that will occur progressively, such as breast development and menstruation in the case of girls, and the increase in testicular and penile volume, in the case of boys.

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For both, the voice also begins to change and pubic and axillary hair appears, and there is an increase in sweating and a change in body odor. The skin also becomes more oily, which promotes the appearance of facial acne.

Although during this stage some psychological changes also begin to occur, mostly these they are presented as a consequence of all physical changes what your body is going through. They are going through a great transformation that can be confusing and scary.

And precisely the fact of going through all these changes, makes friends begin to take on greater importance by living the same as them, so parents begin to move to the background and even begin to question or refute many of the things they are told.

Middle adolescence

In middle adolescence, which is between 14 and 16 years old, the body continues to grow and change (remember that each child and adolescent develops at their own pace), but more slowly, since most of the sudden changes of puberty have ended or are very advanced.

Now it is when the changes take place at the psychological level and abstract thinking develops. Teenagers begin to think about future implications and are in search of their own identity, building an image of themselves to project to others.

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It is normal to expect them to become somewhat self-centered and the relationship with the parents becomes very complicated, as the need to belong to a social group and the independence of the parents increase. In this stage, It is when they are most vulnerable to certain risk behaviors for their healthsuch as drugs, alcohol, tobacco or unprotected sex.

Late adolescence

Late adolescence, which It takes place between the ages of 17 and 19, but can extend to 21, is when the physical and sexual development finally ends, and a psychological maturation is reached in which adolescents begin to worry more consciously about their future.

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Although friends are still important at this stage, begin to focus more on seeking and fostering individual relationships, moving away a little from the groups or being more selective when choosing their friendships, because they no longer feel that imperative need to belong or call attention.

Finally they begin to accept and feel comfortable in your body, which has already finished changing and developing, which also helps them to fully define their true identity, which now includes real projects and life goals.

At this stage most parents have already become accustomed to mood swings in their children, and to the behaviors of adolescence, so the relationship with them becomes more bearable, compared to the first two stages of adolescence.

In general, adolescence is a time of great change for both parents and children, but it is one in which they still need us, even more than ever. Knowing the stages of adolescence, we can know more precisely what to expect, to inform us and be able to accompany them during their transition to adult life.

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