Effects of Endocrine imbalance at Puberty and Hazards of Puberty

Effects of Endocrine imbalance at Puberty

Insufficient Growth Hormone

An insufficient amount of growth hormone in late childhood and early puberty causes the individual to be smaller than average at maturity.

Insufficient Gonadal Hormones

If the gonadal hormones are not released in adequate amounts soon enough to check the growth hormone, growth of the limbs continues too long, and the individual becomes larger than average. Insufficient amounts of gonadal hormones also affect the normal development of the sex organs and the secondary sex characteristics, with the result that the individual remains childlike or takes on characteristics of the opposite sex, depending on when the interruption in the development cycle occurs.

Excessive Supply of Gonadal Hormones

An imbalance in the functioning of the pituitary gland and the gonads can cause production of an excessive amount of gonadal hormones at a very young age, resulting in the onset of puberty sometimes as early as five or six years of age. This is known as precocious puberty or puberty precox. While such children are sexually mature in that their sex organs have begun to function, they are still small in structure and the secondary sex characteristics are not as well developed as in those who mature at the usual age.

Hazards of Puberty

1.     Physical Hazards - The major physical hazards of puberty are due to slight or major malfunctioning of the endocrine glands that control the puberty growth spurt and the sexual changes that take place at this time.

2.     Psychological Hazards

3.     Unfavourable self concepts - is revealed in their behavior. They either become withdrawn from others or become aggressive and defensive.

4.     Under achievement - with rapid physical growth comes a sapping of energy. This leads to a distinclination to work and attitudes of boredom toward any activities.

5.     Lack of preparation for puberty changes - parents and teachers play an important role in this, especially giving the necessary information about puberty or else it would turn out to be a traumatic experience for them.

6.     Acceptance of socially approved sex roles - for many pubescent girls, the psychological hazard of acceptance of the traditional female sex role is intensified by the periodic discomforts they suffer at the time of their menstrual periods while boy are not subject to this.

Because the three 'A's of happiness - acceptance, affection

and achievement - are often violated during these years, puberty finds to be one of the most unhappy periods of the life span. This is serious because unhappiness can and often does become habitual.