Question

What is the transition period from childhood to adulthood?

Answer 1

Hint: It is a phase when certain hormonal changes occur in both boys and girls by which they become reproductively mature. It changes them physically as well as sexually.

Complete answer:
The transition period from childhood to adulthood is called adolescence. This phase of life undergoes changes which lead to the start of reproductive age. During this phase, mental and emotional changes occur. Puberty is the time that comes in between the adolescence stage. During this phase, the immature reproductive system becomes mature In both boys and girls, and they become capable of reproduction. Once reproductive organs are fully matured, puberty ends.
Changes that occur during puberty are:
1) Increase in height: Sudden increase in height can be seen during this stage. By the age of 18 years, an individual reaches his maximum height.
2) Change in body shape: In boys, shoulders start broadening, muscle starts growing, while in girls, the region below waist starts to become wide and breasts start to develop.
3) Voice change: At puberty, the voice box begins to grow. In boys Adam's apple starts to appear, their voice becomes hoarse and in girls, voices become high pitched.
4) Increased activity of the sweat and sebaceous gland (oil gland) can be seen.
5) Sex organs develop completely when puberty hits. In boys, male reproductive organs, e.g. testes begin to produce sperms and in girls ovaries enlarged and start to release mature eggs. The phenomena of menstruation start in girls. The secondary sexual characters start to appear: In girls, breast development starts, hair grows all over the body. In boys, facial hairs and chest hair begin to grow, deepening of the voice starts, muscles start to grow. These changes that occur are due to hormones. In the male, the hormone responsible is testosterone and in females, it is oestrogen.

Note: Pituitary glands in our body stimulate the testes and ovary to release testosterone and oestrogen respectively. These organs release their secretion directly into the bloodstream and from there, they reach the target site and stimulate change in that particular site.