It’s a natural part of aging, but talking about puberty with your child can be embarrassing and uncomfortable.
Puberty, a time in life when a person becomes sexually mature, typically happens for boys between the ages of 9 and 14.
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There are bound to be a lot of questions about their changing bodies, and experts say it’s important for parents and caregivers to prepare children so that they don’t turn to unreliable sources on the internet or friends for answers.
“If you’re not going to be having these conversations with your children or your kids, social media is or some of their friends may be or they may turn on and go on the internet and find something,” said Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist with Orlando Health.
He shared five things parents should tell boys about puberty.
The first is to talk about bodily changes to expect. A deepening voice, more hair, body odor and acne are all more common at this phase.
Next, prepare males for what he calls the “midnight surprise.”
“Young boys are going to start getting erections, whether they wake up at night with erections or during the day, they may just start noticing they’re getting erections and it may be extremely awkward if this happens in social or public settings. But let them know that this is OK,” Brahmbhatt said.
Third, talk about hygiene. He said it’s important to make sure boys thoroughly clean private areas, especially if they are uncircumcised, to lower risk of infections.
Fourth, keep lines of communication open. Puberty can bring a rollercoaster of emotions from mood swings to feeling sad for no reason to new feelings of attraction. Make sure children know they can come to you with any questions.
“Having better communication will also lead to less chances of having mental health disorders like anxiety or depression,” Brahmbhatt said.
Finally, talk about consent and respect. Brahmbhatt said to express the importance of both for healthy relationships.
Brahmbhatt said it’s also important to encourage young men to check their private area for lumps every month. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in those between the ages of 15 and 35.
Getting into a habit now of doing monthly self-exams can help detect a health problem early.