Boy puberty? When? How do you know?

[PeterPan]

Ds is newly 10, has ASD support level 2, and he's just been more volatile lately. We've been looking through everything, trying to figure out if something changed with his therapies, something is wrong, but now I'm wondering if it's some pre-puberty stuff. My indications are a zit a week ago, fatigue, recent growth spurt (1 1/2 inches in the last few months), and seeming more full in the chest. I thought maybe he had gained weight, but it could be muscle instead of flab. He's usually pretty trim. 

It could also be more a mental health thing, that he has grown and needs the supplements we use to keep him stable bumped. But also they've just told me puberty with male autism is UGLY. I don't know. Oh, and today he was under a chair CRYING for no reason. Like seriously crying. I'm like dude, we said you could go and you didn't go when he came in. Why are you CRYING???

And then, if that is flashes of puberty, what in the WORLD are your best strategies to deal with it? He never cries, so it's totally out of persona for him. Ack!

Edited October 22, 2018 by PeterPan

[Arcadia]

Voice breaking (obvious for both boys)

Growth spurt (both kids were on their growth curve and spurts are not very obvious)

Acne (only DS13 had an outbreak, DS12 is like me during puberty so far with negligible acne)

DS12 has a moustache while DS13 doesn’t.

Sleep, food and exercise has been most helpful for the moods for my boys.

[PeterPan]

Ok, definitely not seeing the facial hair. Did you have sort of a few years that were a bit crunchy before the really big?

[Momto6inIN]

My oldest DS had a couple years of extreme emotionality around 11-12 but didn't hit physical puberty til much much later (maybe 16ish? any way kind of late). 2nd DS didn't have as much emotionality but some around the same time period and physical puberty around 14-15.

Out of control emotions and physical puberty didn't seem to be as closely related for my sons as they were for my DD.

[prairiewindmomma]

When did dh go through puberty? If he hit it early and had his big jump in height around 12, then you likely are in early puberty.

Emotional volatility was the worst ages 10-11 for both of my boys. Fwiw, we also saw a lot of unstable blood sugars due to the jump in metabolism. When in doubt, offer food. Ds (12.5) is finally at the point of where he isn’t putting away 6 eggs, 3 oz of cheese, and half a loaf of bread a day in just snacks. He is nowhere near adult height but he’s grown several inches this year.

 

[Farrar]

Mine had the growth spurts, acne, moodiness, and voices dropping... but the facial hair thing... it's a tiny bit of lip peach fuzz that's not super visible yet, even as high schoolers. Just like girl puberty, they can hit it in any order and while they tend to be a little later than girls, 10 isn't too early. Some kids are slow rolling, others are practically overnight. Mine don't seem to have noticed... ahem... romantic possibilities yet. Though... who the heck knows.

The brain stuff starts happening around then for both girls and boys though. And that can be a bigger thing for kids generally. That can also lead to mood changes and emotional stuff.

[LucyStoner]

Early puberty caused some big emotional and self regulation issues with my older son on the spectrum.  The mood changes were noticeable more so than many perceptible physical changes.  

 

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, PeterPan said:

 Did you have sort of a few years that were a bit crunchy before the really big?

 

DS13 has always been intense while DS12 has always been a “crybaby”. However DS13 who is usually sensory avoiding did have a lower tolerance to noise and lighting than before puberty. 7th grade (11/12 years old) was when he could handle only two heavy subjects and slept a lot. 8th grade (12/13 years old) was when he was just easily cranky and still slept a lot. Now he is still a cranky teen but more in control of his moodiness and less like a “toddler tantrum”.

Upping the fish intake has really helped this kid’s mood and coincidentally complexion. He is my salmon, sashimi, unagi kid. Omega 3 supplement doesn’t work as well for him as Omega 3,6,9 supplement does. I haven’t figure out if it is Omega 6 or 9 that is the helpful one for him.

[mumto2]

Sleeping all the time and height growth were the first indication.  Pimples came shortly after.  Those really were the main indication at about 12.   His voice only cracked when singing so only noticeable in church.  Regarding hair on the face my son was  almost 17 before that was noticeable.