When did puberty start in your boys?

[Bobsyer]

Hi all.

An off the cuff comment from my mum has me wondering if I should take my 14 YO twins to see the GP as I'm unsure whether they're starting puberty or not. They're both shorter than me still, (5ft 4) no voice breaking or particularly noticeable bodily changes yet. Few armpit hairs and they've both put on a bit of podge which is recognisable as puppy fat!

What do you think? I'm not expecting them to get hugely tall as their dad isn't and my family are all on the short side, and if they take after the men on my side then height will be slow and steady gains rather than shooting up at some point.

But I just can't help thinking maybe I'm doing them a disservice, just in case?

My son was 12 when he started showing signs. He's nearly 13 and is well on his way. Muscle mass changes, body hair, body shape and voice all noticeably different. He eats really well, good varied diet, I'm short, father is above average height but not 6'.
What age was your DH when he got puberty?

I don’t think you have to worry just yet. Some boys are later to start than others. Are they just 14? Or about to hit 15?

My son's friend who has food issues and has a very restricted diet is still childlike, not showing signs of maturity. My hazy recollection from school days was that by 14 there were boys who weren't in the full throes of puberty but they were the outliers. So I don't think I'd be overly concerned but would be keeping an eye and appraising nutrition intake.

Might be worth taking them the GP just to check?

DS aged 14.5 hasn't visibly started puberty yet. DH was a v late developer and still looked like a little kid at 15. He did most of his growing around 16.

I have a nephew who also looked very pre pubescent until around his 15th birthday, when he suddenly changed and shot up.

So we're not worried about it here. But would have thought no harm in checking with GP if you are.

You say you’re not sure if they’re starting puberty, if they have armpit hair this is a sign they have started

My son had a sort of "silent puberty"! I was starting to wonder-then I accidentally saw him fully naked for the first time for a couple of years when he was about 15. Not much chest hair-he still doesn't. But I stopped wondering.

I never noticed either of mine going through puberty apart from hairy armpits and legs. I can't now remember when this was! Probably around 15 🤔

DS 1 was nearly 16 before his voice broke and he stated getting more hairy

ds2 was nearly 14.

There’s a huge variation of normal as you can see if you look at boys in different years of secondary school.

My son is the same. He has a very restricted diet and is underweight and showing no signs of puberty yet at 14. He is getting a little bit taller though, about 5”4. I’m not too worried yet as it seems a few of the boys in his school are still fairly small. Some of them look like grown men though!

My ds is 14 . And just under 5ft. I'm 5ft 9 . So we were getting worried gp referred us to endocrinologist. To check his growth hormones ect . He hasn't really started puberty yet.

Honestly there is such a range. My son left primary school done and dusted, but my twin nephews started 6th form still looking like children. All in their 20s now look much the same.

My son changed rapidly at about 14 1/2.
He's now 18 and could grow a thick beard but he's still tall and beanpole build but so is his dad 🤷‍♀️

It was a gradual process from about 11 onwards with voice cracks and more hair on their legs/arms, and then full puberty at 13.

This is heartening thanks all!

NHS page says puberty should start by 14 for boys - and although they have armpit hair, it's literally a couple of hairs.

To whoever asked - they turned 14 in January. They don't have any sort of diet issues either - one's probably a bit more 'beige' than the other but they both have a varied and complete diet with veg and stuff.

I think I'll wait until summer hols before I start thinking about doctors. Give the pubes a chance to progress

Honestly I wouldn't worry, I think taking them to the GPs will give them a complex- mines 14 and I think he worries as he's not as tall/hairy etc as his friends and I wouldn't want to make him worry more. I think between now and 16 they will probably shoot up.

I was remembering at school, most boys didn't seem "manly" until yr11/ 6th form.

Around 12 and it was very quick. He's 14 now, looks about 17 but just a year ago he looked completely different and his voice was so much higher. It's such a rapid change. I don't think you need to worry yet. At that age there is such a range in their development. I'd give it another year.

Similarly to yours my son is an extremely fussy eater (always has been) and is now 14 (nearing 15) and no changes. I’m definitely starting to worry though!

@Alargeoneplease89 TBH this is what worries me the most. I don't want to foster a complex about it.

My almost 11 year old is showing very early signs of puberty and he and a lot of his friends are starting to look less child like. Although he is tall and sturdy for his age. Which I think plays a role. My nephew was a similar age. Don't know when his voice broke though and my son isn't anywhere near that stage.

that sounds like the opposite problem! But I suppose he’s getting it out of the way early

Yes I was worried it was early but he seems to be on a class that are very similar. My youngest is only 8 but I don't think he'll be early and he's small for his age. Plus it's only very, very small signs so I think he has a long way to go.

I would say 13/14 years old. He's now 15.5 5'6, deep voice, hair all over the place, much broader and more muscular. He is definitely still growing (eats so much!) but the hormonal rages are far less now.

Most of the boys I teach you see the changes at about 13 onwards but some earlier than others. I totally understand why you don't want to see a doctor and make an issue out of it. I would wait a bit longer before going down that route especially as drawing attention to it may make him self conscious. I see both ends of the puberty spectrum and it does all even out but I definitely think the taller and sturdier they are, the earlier. I have 2 that have physically opposite builds and my smaller one still looks much younger than his brother did at the same age if that makes sense.

DS is 13, about 5’5-5’6 and his voice has broken. He has a noticeable adam’s apple and hairy legs but no idea about other body parts 😂. He doesn’t have any facial hair yet but does have spots unfortunately for him.