Puberty is the time when your body grows from a child's to an adult's. You'll know that you are going through puberty by the way that your body changes.
Usually, these changes begin between the ages of 8 and 14 for girls, and between 9 and 15 for guys. This wide range in age is normal, and it's why you may develop several years earlier (or later) than most of your friends.
Sometimes, though, people pass this normal age range for puberty without showing any signs of body changes. This is called delayed puberty.
Doctors usually can help teens with delayed puberty develop so they can catch up with their peers.
If you're a girl, you'll notice that:
If you're a guy, you'll notice that:
These changes are caused by the sex hormones — testosterone in guys and estrogen in girls — that your body is making in much larger amounts than before.
Signs of delayed puberty in guys include:
In girls, signs include:
Puberty can be delayed for several reasons.
Most often, it's simply a pattern of growth and development in a family. A guy or girl may find that his or her parent, uncle, aunt, brothers, sisters, or cousins developed later than usual, too. This is called constitutional delay (or being a late bloomer), and it usually doesn't need treatment. These teens in time will develop normally, just later than most of their peers.
Medical problems also can cause delays in puberty.
Some people who don't go through puberty at the normal time have problems with their chromosomes, which are made up of DNA that contain our body's construction plans. Problems with the chromosomes can affect normal growth processes. For example:
The good news is that if there is a problem, doctors usually can help teens with delayed puberty to develop more normally. If you're worried that you're not developing as you should, ask your parents to make an appointment with your doctor.
The doctor will:
The doctor also might:
Often, doctors find no underlying physical problem. Most teens with delayed puberty are just developing a bit later than average and will catch up.
If doctors do find a problem, they might send a teen to see a pediatric endocrinologist, a doctor who specializes in treating kids and teens who have growth problems, or to another specialist for further tests or treatment.
Some late bloomers struggle with waiting for the changes of puberty to start. So doctors may offer hormone treatment:
After treatment ends, a teen's own hormones usually take over to complete the process of puberty. If they don't, the doctor will discuss long-term sex hormone replacement.
It can be tough to watch your friends grow and develop when the same thing's not happening to you. You may feel like you're never going to catch up. Even when the doctor or your parents reassure you that things will be OK, it's hard to wait for something that can affect how you feel about yourself.
If you're feeling depressed or having school or other problems, talk to your mom or dad, your doctor, or another trusted adult about finding a counselor or therapist you can talk to. They can help you sort out your feelings and suggest ways to cope with them.
Delayed puberty can be difficult for anyone to accept and deal with. But it's a problem that usually gets solved. Ask for help if you have any concerns about your development.
Reviewed by: Tal Grunwald, MD
Date Reviewed: Sep 16, 2019