A growth spurt is a sudden uneven jump in the size of body parts. These body parts can even grow at different times (Berger, 2014). Kelby had already hit her growth spurt around two years ago. Kelby wore a size nine shoe. She had a small waist and her hips and butt area were wider. Just a few years ago Kelby’s hips were a lot smaller. During the growth spurt the lymphoid systems decreases in size and the skin becomes oiler and more prone to acne (Berger, 2014). I noticed that Kelby had oily skin and acne on her face. According to her mother, for the past two years she has been taking medicine in the form of a pill, and has medicated face wash. Hair changes after puberty and becomes coarser and darker (Berger, 2014). Kelby’s hair was very blond, thin, and curly when she was younger. Today, Kelby has very thick, curly, dirty blond hair. While talking with her mom, I found out that Kelby started her period at age 11. According to Berger, the average age of menarche among normal-weight girls is 12 years, 8 months …show more content…
At puberty hormones awaken and increase interest in sex (Berger, 2014). Each teammate went around in a circle and told the team and coaches if they were in a relationship or not. I watched as Kelby lit up when she talked about her two month long relationship with Christian, who is a year older than her. The key developmental task of adolescence is the development of identity (Erickson, 1968). Adolescents are developing themselves through Family, teachers, friends, and romantic partners. Their sense of self is determined by whether they have a relationship and the quality of that relationship (Florsheim, 2003). It seemed very important and rewarding to these girls when they talked about their relationship status. Romantic experiences and self-concept may also affect one’s self-esteem. I could tell that Kelby was proud to be in a relationship and that made her feel good about herself.
The blue spectrum from TV’s, phones, and computers affects the circadian system (Berger, 2014). A phase delay in the circadian sleep-wake cycle is caused by hormones at puberty. Because of this phase delay, many teens are awake at night and half asleep during the day (Berger, 2014). Kelby and her team talked about how they stayed up most of the night in their hotel rooms because they were bored and couldn’t sleep. The team attended a camp early that morning before the tournament