It's not a race! There's no 'right age' to begin the physical changes that puberty brings. Whatever stage your child is at right now, that's the right stage for your child.

Boys remain considerably behind girls in terms of development. By age 13, when some girls are almost physically mature, most boys are only just beginning to develop. However, it's important to remember that there are wide variations in the ages when puberty begins and ends. A few girls and boys may begin to develop as early as 8 and others may show no obvious changes until late teens.

Something he might not expect...
Your son may be slightly alarmed at swelling breast tissue and changes in the size and colour of the nipple area. This is quite normal in early puberty but he may need to be reassured that these changes are natural and expected.

Catching up
Although it will be a while before your son catches up with the girls in his class, he may begin to experience rapid changes in height and weight. This growth spurt usually reaches its peak about 2 years after the start of puberty.

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