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What to Expect at a Pre-Teen Well-Child Visit at Ages 10–13

During the pre-teen years children experience many physical, emotional and cognitive changes. By now, kids will be familiar with the role of well visits after attending pediatric checkups for preschoolers and school-aged children. However, early adolescent visits to our Cumming pediatrician’s office include several aspects that are unique to children between the ages of 10 and 13.

What to expect at a pre-teen wellness checkup at the pediatrician

The Main Elements of a Pre-Teen Checkup Ages 10–13

To enhance your child’s health and well-being during these crucial years, attending a pre-teen pediatrician visit is essential. The following areas are examined and discussed to help children as they progress towards their teenage years.

A Pre-Teen’s Diet and Nutrition

BMI is a measure of weight adjusted for height and helps us accurately assess the level of body fat and overall health of your child.

  • Underweight is < 5th percentile.
  • Healthy weight is 5th – 84th percentile.
  • Overweight is 85th – 95th percentile.
  • Obese is > 95th percentile.
  • Morbidly obese is > 99th percentile.

As always, it is important to remember that children should never cut calories or diet. This can result in a disruption in their normal growth patterns and may prevent them from taking in nutrients that they need for normal growth and development of organs. We strongly encourage that they learn to make healthy choices, eat appropriate portion sizes and stay active.

Currently, in the US, school-age children are consuming 10% of dietary energy in the form of juices and soft drinks. These should be treats and not given on a daily basis. Now is the time for your children to learn the correct concepts of good nutrition.

Stages of Puberty of a Pre-Teen Child

During puberty, pre-teens experience various physical and emotional transformations. Pediatricians provide valuable guidance to help children and parents navigate these changes together.

Girls

Puberty generally starts earlier for girls than for boys, sometime between 8-13 years of age. For most girls, the first evidence of puberty is breast development, but it may be the growth of pubic hair in some. Growth spurts usually occur 1-2 years after the 1st signs of puberty. Her body will begin to build up fat, particularly in the breasts and around her hips and thighs, as she takes on the contours of a woman.

The culminating event will be the arrival of menarche, her first period (also called menstruation). Depending on the age at which they begin their pubertal development, girls may get their first period between the ages of 9 and 16. Their growth spurt usually ends after the arrival of menarche.

Boys

The physical changes of puberty usually start with enlargement of the testicles and sprouting of pubic hair, followed by a growth spurt between the ages of 10 to 16; on average, 1-2 years later than when girls starts.

A boy may become concerned if he notices tenderness or swelling under his nipples. This temporary development of breast tissue is called gynecomastia and it happens to about 50% of boys during puberty. It usually disappears within 6 months.

Dark, coarse, curly hair will sprout just above his penis and his scrotum, and later under his arms and in the beard area. His penis and testes will get larger, and erections, which a boy begins experiencing as an infant, will become more frequent. Ejaculation (the release of sperm-containing semen) will also occur.

Talking to Your Child About Puberty

Boys and girls can see these changes happening to each other. It’s important to talk to your child about how their bodies change, sooner rather than later.

It’s best not the have “the talk” but rather a series of talks, ideally beginning when your child is young and starting to ask questions about body parts. Each time you talk, offer more and more detail depending on your child’s maturity level and interest in the topic. If your child has a question, answer it right away.

Sleep Guidelines for a Pre-Teen

Sleep is very important to overall health and well-being in children – a typical school-aged child requires about 10 hours of sleep every night. They still need predictable bedtime “downtime” that is not interrupted by television or other forms of stimulation (computers, cell phones caffeinated beverages).

A Pre-Teen’s Body Image Concerns

Rapid physical changes lead the adolescent to be increasingly preoccupied with body image characterized by the following.

  • Preoccupation with self
  • Uncertainty about appearance and attractiveness
  • Frequent comparison of own body with those of other adolescents
  • Increased interest in sexual anatomy and physiology

Independence-Dependence Struggle With Your Pre-Teen

Early adolescence is characterized by the beginning of a shift from dependence on parents to independent behavior. Common events at this time include the following.

  • Less interest in parental activities and more reluctance to accept advice or criticism.
  • An emotional void created by separation from parents.
  • Wide mood and behavior swings.

An Adolescent’s Peer Group Involvement

As adolescents begin to depend less on the family, they increasingly rely on friends for comfort and support. During this time, friendships (particularly with members of the same sex) – can become intensely meaningful. Adolescents often experience strong emotional feelings towards their peers, with their social interactions occurring predominantly with their own gender. This peer group involvement is critical to social development and emotional well-being.

Identity Development of a Pre-Teen Child

During this pivotal stage of development, pre-teens experience a significant improvement in cognitive skills, transitioning from concrete to abstract thinking. These changes lead to frequent daydreaming, increased abstract reasoning, as well as setting ambitious vocational goals (like becoming a rock or rap star, a pilot, professional athlete and so on). In addition, pre-teens often seek more privacy and test authority, and start developing their own value systems. Along with the emergence of sexual feelings, this period is marked by a noticeable lack of impulse control and a tendency to exaggerate personal experiences, reflecting the changes in their emotional and cognitive growth.

Schedule a Pre-Teen Well Check in Cumming

Vickery Pediatrics provides routine well-child visits for children in Cumming, Buford, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Sugar Hill, Suwanee and Forsyth County. To ensure your child is reaching important developmental milestones, schedule a visit today. Call (678) 990-2501 or request an appointment now.

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