ADOLESCENCE STAGE

(12 to 18 Years)

General Characteristics
 Encompasses puberty, the period when primary and secondary sex characteristic
begin to develop and mature.
 Girls: Puberty begins between ages 8 and 14 and is usually completed within 3
years.
 Boys: Puberty begins between ages 9 and 16 and is completed by age 18 or 19.

 Height
- 20% to 25% of adult height is achieved.
- Girls grow 2 to 8 inches (5 to 20 cm). Growth ceases at age 16 or 17.
- Boys grow 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm). Growth ceases between ages 18 and
20.

 Weight
- 30% to 50% of adult weight is gained during adolescence.
- Girls gain between 15 and 55 lbs. (6.8 to 25 kg)
- Boys gain 15 to 65 lbs. (6.8 to 29.5 kg).

 Nutrition
- Daily intake should be balanced among the food groups
 Daily caloric intake requirements vary with gender and age as follows;
 Girls: (11-14) = 48 kcal/kg/d
(15-18) = 38 kcal/kg/d
 Boys: (11-14)= 60 kcal/kg/d
(15-18)= 42 kcal/kg/d
- Typically eat whenever they have a break in their activities; readily available
nutritious snacks provide good insurance for a balanced diet.
- Milk and protein: needed in sufficient quantity to promote bone and muscle
growth.
- Maintaining adequate quality and quantity of daily intake may be difficult
because of such factors as:
 busy schedule
 influence of peers
 easy availability of fast foods ad fatty
 empty calorie foods
- Female: very prone to negative dieting behaviors
- Common dietary deficiencies include iron, folate, and zinc
 Sleep Patterns
- Rapid growth, overexertion in activities, and tendency to stay up late
commonly interfere with sleep and rest requirements.
- “Catch up” missed sleep, many adolescents sleep late at every opportunity

 Dental Health
- Regular and preventive dental check-ups
- Must wear orthodontic appliances (which may be a source of embarrassment)
- Pay special attention to careful brushing of the teeth.

 Fears
- Common fears:
 relationship with person of opposite sex
 homosexual tendencies
 ability to assume adult roles
- Listening to an adolescent’s concerns and encouraging open communication
help the adolescent develop increased confidence in his or her ability to cope
with fearful situations

 Activities and Toys

1. sports, camping, fishing gear
2. videos, video games, computer games; radios and compact disk players
3. personal telephones
4. models and collectibles

 Discipline
- Firm but reasonable limit-setting
- A supportive, yet not interfering family is essential.
- Privileges and responsibility should be balanced in accordance with his or her
maturity.

 Hospitalization
 Overview
- Concerns focus on:
1. Alteration in body image
2. Separation from peers
3. Illness as punishment (12 to 14 years of age)
4. Restricted independence (because of confinement)
 Reaction to Hospitalization
- Primary defense mechanism: denial and displacement (shifting focus from
undesired object or feeling to a more acceptable object or feeling to a more
acceptable object or feeling).
- Loss of control is related to loss of identity and enforced dependence, possibly
causing adolescents to react by rejection, uncooperativeness, self-assertion,
anger, and frustration.
- They may withdraw, even from peers.
- Fears of mutilation and sexual changes may be evidenced by :
 Their numerous question
 Rejecting others
 Questioning adequacy of care
 Psychosomatic complaints
 Sexual reactions
- Separation from peer group may result in further withdrawal, loneliness, and
boredom.