Don't Panic About Puberty (Special) Operation Ouch!


Don't Panic About Puberty (Special)

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Transcript


LineFromTo

-Welcome to...

-Operation Ouch!

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This very special show is about something that happens to all of us.

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Can you guess what it is?

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Well, here's a clue.

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-Spotty.

-Angry, emotional.

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Don't worry about it, everyone goes through it.

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Be happy, it's normal, it's not scary.

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Erm...

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THEY LAUGH

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Now, did you guess what those people were talking about?

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That's right, it's puberty.

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Now, Xand, did you notice how

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all those people didn't seem to want to talk about puberty at all?

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I did, Chris.

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-LAUGHING:

-There's a question!

-There IS a question, isn't there?

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BOTH: Erm...

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But don't panic,

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because on "Operation Ouch!" there's NOTHING we're afraid to talk about.

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-Well, apart from...

-Ssh!

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Oh, yeah, sorry, right.

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-So, puberty, get ready!

-We're taking you on.

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Coming up on this special "Operation Ouch!",

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we show you how puberty affects your voice...

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Ow!

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..why not to worry about acne...

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I had it all over the face, the back, the neck.

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..and we offer some serious survival tips.

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But first, what is puberty?

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Think of it like this.

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You've been growing since the moment you were born,

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and it's what turned you from a little baby into a child.

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But pretty soon, you need to go from being a child

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into being an adult, or else the world would be full of children.

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And this is where puberty comes in.

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It's basically just another phase of growing.

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And it's completely normal.

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You might have already noticed changes in your body,

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or perhaps you haven't, because everyone is different.

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Usually it begins any time from the age of eight,

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carrying right through to the age of 18.

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In this special "Operation Ouch!",

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we've got loads to show you about what happens to your body.

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On the inside and the outside!

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One thing that changes when you hit puberty is your sweat,

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and we're going to show you why.

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Does anybody want to smell my armpits?

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Do you want to smell my armpits?

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Free sweat-smelling here.

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Can I tempt you, a little whiff?

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Anyone? Anyone?

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I don't seem to be having much luck for some reason.

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Sweat.

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It might seem a bit yucky, but everybody does it.

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Sweating is what your body does when you get too hot,

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and when that sweat evaporates,

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it takes heat away from your body and prevents your internal organs

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from overheating, so it's actually pretty wonderful stuff.

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I'm not sure why nobody wants to smell mine.

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HE GROANS

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There are two types of sweat glands,

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eccrine and apocrine.

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Eccrine are the most common.

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You have over two million of them all over your body.

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Apocrine glands are only in particular places

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like your groin and under your arms.

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They produce a different type of sweat that is rich in protein

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and fatty acids.

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They only become active during, you guessed it,

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puberty.

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When your apocrine glands start working,

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it changes how you sweat.

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And this lot are going to help me show you what that means.

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First, we're going to need a sample.

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In fact, two samples.

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One sample is made up of a group of eight-year-olds

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who haven't started puberty yet.

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The other sample is made up of 14-year-olds,

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who are slap-bang in the middle of it.

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And what I need from all of you now is sweat.

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Are you ready?

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-ALL: Yeah!

-Right, let's go.

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For the next half hour,

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I'm getting both squads to train as hard as they can,

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and sweat as much as possible.

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What we're looking for here is real work.

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It's not a race between the two teams.

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We want quality, cos quality means sweat.

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Ben, you sweating yet?

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-Yeah.

-Yeah? That's good.

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After 30 minutes, I'm satisfied that both teams will have sweated enough.

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It's time to collect all the sweaty shirts into separate bags.

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Now we've got our samples.

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The squads don't know which shirts are in which bag,

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so let's see which smells worst.

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One at a time,

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you're going to smell each bag,

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and tell me which you think smells worst.

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Bag A is from the younger team

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and Bag B is from the teenagers.

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Which one do you think will smell worse?

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-Get right in there.

-That one.

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Is it really disgusting? Huh.

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That one.

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What does this one smell of?

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Like off vinegar.

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I'll say this one.

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You think that one smells worst?

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This one.

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And what do you think this one smells of?

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-Rotten cheese.

-Rotten cheese?

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-Oh, that one.

-Do you think this is your team?

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-No.

-You think the eight-year-olds are smellier than you?

-Yeah.

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Big breath in, Ben.

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-This one.

-XAND LAUGHS

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-That one.

-Really?

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Cos, like, I smelt my own armpits and they stink more.

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So which of you thought

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that Bag B was the smelliest?

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Yeah, all except two.

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That's 12-2 to Bag B.

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Now, THIS was the bag from the older ones.

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So I think you're absolutely right,

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this definitely should have been the smelliest one.

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Now, do you know why?

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-Because they're older.

-Cos they're older, that's right.

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And when you get older, you get different kinds of sweat glands,

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they're called apocrine glands,

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and make different sorts of sweat, and it's got more chemicals in,

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which gets broken down by bacteria.

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So what you're really smelling in here is bacteria poo.

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ALL GROAN

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There you go, you're the ones smelling it.

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Not me, I haven't smelled it.

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CHANTING: Smell it, smell it, smell it...

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Oh, God, no! Oh!

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-LAUGHING:

-Eurgh!

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Remember, all sweat is completely normal,

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even the smelly variety.

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And you could make sure you don't stay smelly

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by washing yourself and your clothes regularly.

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Speaking of washing, guys,

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you better not forget to wash all your kits. Guys?

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Guys!

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Get ready to change shape.

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Er... Not like that!

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We're talking growth spurts.

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Hormones kick in, telling your body to get taller.

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Boys get broader,

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girls get breasts,

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and it can all be a bit annoying,

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if you grow out of your favourite outfit too quickly.

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But don't panic, it's exciting too.

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You also get stronger...

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Maybe not that strong!

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Nice bus though.

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But remember, it's all completely normal.

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And it could be a whole lot worse.

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If you were a baboon,

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puberty would suddenly give you a giant red bottom.

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As part of today's special show, we're looking at hormones.

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Just don't try anything you see here at home.

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-PHONE BEEPS

-It's Chris.

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PHONE BEEPS

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OK, fair enough.

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PHONE BEEPS

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Well, I don't know where he keeps his custard creams,

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-he hides them from me.

-PHONE BEEPS

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Oh, yeah, here they are.

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PHONE BEEPS

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Chris, why are you sending me all these ridiculous text messages?

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I'm trying to work.

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Well, I'm glad you asked me that, Xand,

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it's not just because I want those custard creams,

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although I do want them and you've written them in the logbook now.

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It's because today's lab is all about hormones,

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and like texts, hormones are messages

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but they're chemical ones sent around your body.

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You can't control them any more than Xand could control

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the number of texts I was sending him.

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You have hormones from the moment you're born,

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telling the different cells in your body what to do.

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Your pancreas makes the hormone insulin

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to control sugar levels in your blood.

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WHISTLE BLOWS

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And your adrenal glands produce the hormone adrenaline

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when you're excited or scared,

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preparing your body for immediate action.

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GORILLA GRUNTS

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SHE ZOOMS

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And then there's your pituitary gland in your brain,

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and to show you what that looks like,

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I've actually got a real sheep's brain in my hand.

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Now the first thing you'll notice is

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it's much smaller than a human brain.

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And that's probably why sheep are less intelligent than human beings.

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-Chris, there might be sheep watching!

-Doesn't matter.

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-They're sheep, they won't understand what I said.

-All right.

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Well, I've cut it in half

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so you can see right here at the base of the brain

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is the pituitary gland.

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Now, take a look at this MRI scan of my actual brain.

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And there's my pituitary gland right there.

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Now it may be small, but it has a big job to do,

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because it's the pituitary gland that controls

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most of the hormones in your body.

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But when you reach puberty, your hormones go into super charge mode.

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They spring into action like never before,

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and they're responsible for all the changes that take place

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during puberty.

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And one of these changes occurs in the voice box,

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the organ which allows you to speak.

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And we're going to show you what it looks like.

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Now this is the larynx,

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or the voice box of a young pig.

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Your voice box is in your throat,

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it's the tough rubbery bit here on your neck.

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Now, I also have...

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..a pig's larynx,

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except that mine is bigger than Chris's,

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and that's because it's from an adult pig.

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Now one of these two larynxes

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will have a deeper sound

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than the other, but which one do you think it's going to be?

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The bellows are acting like your lungs,

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sending air past the vocal cords

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which you can see here.

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And they make a sound when they vibrate.

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LARYNX SQUEAKS

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Compare the sound of this smaller larynx...

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LARYNX SQUEAKS

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..to the sound of the larger one.

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LARYNX BLOWS

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Can you hear the sound of the larger larynx is deeper

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than the smaller one?

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LARYNX SQUEAKS

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This change in sound is known as your voice breaking,

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and it happens to both boys and girls.

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Now, when YOU go through puberty, those hormones,

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controlled by your pituitary gland,

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tell your larynx to grow bigger,

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and that makes your voice get deeper.

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So, we've shown you that hormones

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are messages

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telling your body what to do.

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When you start puberty,

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your hormones become more active,

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telling you to grow into an adult.

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And remember, hormones are what make your voice break,

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only nothing's breaking at all.

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Your larynx actually gets bigger,

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and that makes your voice deeper.

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But whether you're a boy or a girl,

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don't panic, because it doesn't hurt at all.

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It's all completely normal.

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It's definitely more obvious for us boys

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because our larynxes grow more than girls',

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and so it pushes this bit out.

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It's called your Adam's apple.

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Ouch, why don't you poke your own Adam's apple?

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-It's more fun poking yours.

-Stop it, it's really annoying.

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Really annoying, like sending somebody loads of text messages?

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PHONE BEEPS

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How did he do that?

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Get ready to get hairy.

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OK, not that hairy, and don't worry, it's all completely normal.

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It happens to every mammal on the planet.

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Boys, you'll get hair on your face,

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and everyone gets new hair on their legs

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and armpits,

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and between their legs.

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That's called pubic hair.

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In the animal world, getting hairy is the best way to attract a mate

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because it holds on to smelly sweat, which is apparently very enticing.

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But us humans have moved on a bit since we were apes,

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so we don't need it.

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Some people keep it, some remove it.

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It's up to you.

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Wherever you are in the UK, you can be sure that

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the emergency services are on standby, ready to take on...

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What? What?

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What does this have to do with puberty?

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I mean, I love the emergency services,

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but how do they fit into this special episode?

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They will, Xand, they will.

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We're on call with the UK emergency services,

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and today, Xand might get a few surprises.

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Ooh!

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On call with me is paramedic Jan Vann.

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This is a rapid response vehicle,

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and it's on standby 24/7 to respond

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to whatever medical emergency calls come in.

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-BEEPS HORN

-Oh, sorry, Jan.

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Bit embarrassing.

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A new case is just in.

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So we've had a 999 call to see a male with a problem with his head.

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We know he's over 16,

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we don't have any other details than that at the moment,

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so this could be a huge range of things

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and we need to get there as quickly as possible.

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Oh, thank goodness you're here.

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Chris?

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Yeah, my hair is just SO greasy,

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it's just like someone's dipped my head in a bucket of lard.

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Dr Chris, you only call 999 in a real emergency.

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Sorry, Jan.

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It's not on!

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That's what's known as a Jan Vann telling-off.

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But since we're here, let's see what we can do for the, er...

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CLEARS THROAT ..patient.

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Tell me what's going on.

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Oh, my hair's just really greasy,

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and it's all lifeless and it feels oily,

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so I just feel a bit embarrassed to go out with it.

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And how long has this been going on for?

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I don't know, like not just today, it's been going on for ages.

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Let's have a quick look at it.

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When you go through puberty,

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the hormone changes that your body's going through

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that are helping you grow up

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stimulate your skin to produce more oil.

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That oil's called sebum,

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and it can make your hair really greasy.

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Though to be honest,

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I've never seen anyone with hair quite as greasy as Chris's.

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What you need to do is wash your hair more frequently.

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-Can you help?

-Yeah.

-Great.

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OK, relax your head back.

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-Is that nice, Chris?

-Oh, it's really good.

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Ah...

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I suppose I could do this myself.

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Well, you should be able to wash your own hair, really,

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on a regular basis.

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Oh, marvellous.

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So, Jan, same time tomorrow?

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No. This is definitely something that you can do for yourself

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from now on.

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Sorry.

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If you've got greasy hair,

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there are lots of things you can do.

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There are special shampoos for greasy hair,

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you can actually get water-free shampoos

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which, for some people, work very well,

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and you can get hair products which make your hair look less greasy.

0:14:020:14:06

The one thing you shouldn't do is call an ambulance.

0:14:060:14:09

And now, we're heading out and about for our puberty special.

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At the clinic, Chris is open for business.

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Next patient, please.

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First in is ten-year-old Samantha, with some mystery marks.

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So Sam, what brings you to the Ouch-mobile today?

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I have some interesting stretch marks on my leg.

0:14:260:14:28

What's the diagnosis, doc?

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Sounds like a case of

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"I've got some interesting stretch marks on my legs-itis"

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but don't panic.

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So, Sam, open the eyelid.

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So why don't you stand up and see if you can show us the stretch marks?

0:14:380:14:41

Oh, yeah, OK. You've got some streaks here,

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and they're a little bit darker, aren't they?

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The reason you get them is when you reach puberty,

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a lot of people start to grow very, very quickly.

0:14:490:14:52

That dark bit is where you've pulled the skin fibres apart,

0:14:520:14:56

so where the skin is a bit thinner,

0:14:560:14:57

you can see through to the darker skin underneath.

0:14:570:15:00

So it's nothing to worry about.

0:15:000:15:02

EVERYONE has stretch marks.

0:15:020:15:04

I have them, and I have them in almost exactly the same place.

0:15:040:15:06

And it's very, very common.

0:15:060:15:08

Is there anything I can do to get rid of them?

0:15:080:15:10

There are some creams that you can get,

0:15:100:15:12

so there's a Vitamin E cream.

0:15:120:15:14

It doesn't work for everyone,

0:15:140:15:15

but putting some Vitamin E on them may help a bit.

0:15:150:15:18

But as you get older,

0:15:180:15:20

they may well just get lighter,

0:15:200:15:21

and you might not notice them.

0:15:210:15:23

Thank you very much for bringing your interesting stretch marks

0:15:230:15:25

-in to see me.

-Thank you, Dr Chris, for helping me.

0:15:250:15:28

Away from the clinic, Xand is in the park,

0:15:310:15:33

taking questions about growing up.

0:15:330:15:34

Why am I getting clumsier as I get older?

0:15:350:15:38

What sort of things do you get wrong?

0:15:380:15:40

I always trip over my own feet.

0:15:400:15:41

As you get bigger,

0:15:410:15:43

your arms and legs are getting longer

0:15:430:15:44

and it's hard to know where they are,

0:15:440:15:46

cos you're used to them being a bit shorter.

0:15:460:15:48

Once you stop growing, you kind of get used to it,

0:15:480:15:50

but I'm still quite clumsy.

0:15:500:15:52

Dr Chris is really clumsy.

0:15:520:15:53

THEY GIGGLE

0:15:530:15:55

So the next time you get told off for knocking things over,

0:15:550:15:57

you've got the perfect excuse.

0:15:570:15:59

"It's just puberty."

0:15:590:16:01

Back at the Ouch-mobile, there's a new case in the waiting room.

0:16:010:16:03

Next patient, please.

0:16:030:16:05

It's double trouble! Cousins Rhea and Syrus.

0:16:050:16:08

So, guys, what brings you to the Ouch-mobile today?

0:16:090:16:11

Me and Syrus are both the same age,

0:16:110:16:13

so, 12, but I am a lot taller than him.

0:16:130:16:17

What's the diagnosis, doc?

0:16:170:16:18

This sounds like a serious case of

0:16:180:16:20

"me and Syrus are exactly the same age, 12,

0:16:200:16:23

"but I'm a lot taller than him-itis."

0:16:230:16:25

But don't panic.

0:16:250:16:27

Now let's see how much taller you are. Can you stand up?

0:16:270:16:30

Syrus, do you want to stand up next to Rhea?

0:16:300:16:32

So this is how tall Rhea is, and this is how tall Syrus is.

0:16:320:16:36

You're about a head shorter,

0:16:370:16:38

-and you're exactly the same age?

-Yeah.

-Have a seat.

0:16:380:16:40

So, what do you want to know about this?

0:16:400:16:43

I want to know why boys have their growth spurts later than girls.

0:16:430:16:47

We don't know why boys start later,

0:16:470:16:49

but girls can start kind of aged ten to 12,

0:16:490:16:52

and boys tend to start more like 12 to 14, 15.

0:16:520:16:56

So that's because your body starts releasing a hormone

0:16:560:16:59

called testosterone.

0:16:590:17:00

It's testosterone that makes both boys and girls

0:17:000:17:02

have this sudden growth spurt.

0:17:020:17:03

What's it like being shorter than your 12-year-old female cousin?

0:17:030:17:07

-Um... Annoying!

-I just beat him up all the time.

-Oh, man!

0:17:070:17:09

THEY LAUGH

0:17:090:17:11

I remember that, I remember getting beaten up by girls at age 12.

0:17:110:17:14

-Thank you very much, Dr Chris.

-Thank you.

-It's a real pleasure.

0:17:140:17:16

If you haven't had your growth spurt yet, don't panic,

0:17:170:17:20

everyone's different.

0:17:200:17:22

It will come.

0:17:220:17:23

Clinic closed.

0:17:230:17:24

Boys, this one's for you.

0:17:250:17:27

Get ready for your testicles dropping.

0:17:270:17:30

Don't panic, they don't literally drop off.

0:17:300:17:32

They just drop lower inside your scrotum as they grow a bit,

0:17:340:17:37

and it's totally normal.

0:17:370:17:39

It happens because your testicles start to make sperm.

0:17:390:17:42

Sperm are one of the things used to make a baby

0:17:420:17:45

when you're an adult, and they like to stay cool.

0:17:450:17:47

So your testicles need to hang lower outside your body

0:17:470:17:51

to be at just the right temperature.

0:17:510:17:52

Hey, what are you doing?

0:17:520:17:54

Just chilling.

0:17:540:17:55

And one testicle is usually lower than the other.

0:17:570:17:59

If it wasn't, you'd crush them between your legs.

0:17:590:18:02

But that doesn't mean it's cool to walk like an ape.

0:18:020:18:05

Remember, if you're worried about anything,

0:18:050:18:07

speak to an adult you trust.

0:18:070:18:08

Still to come on today's puberty special,

0:18:100:18:13

Chris and Jan are called out to a moody teenager...

0:18:130:18:15

What?

0:18:150:18:17

..there's more top puberty survival tips

0:18:170:18:19

and Chris finds out why puberty

0:18:210:18:23

can make getting up in the morning really tricky.

0:18:230:18:25

CHRIS, GET UP!

0:18:250:18:26

Now, did you know 80% of teenagers get spots

0:18:290:18:32

to some degree, and boys are more likely to get them than girls?

0:18:320:18:36

But remember, don't squeeze them.

0:18:360:18:38

Spots.

0:18:410:18:42

I used to get them,

0:18:420:18:44

I still do get them,

0:18:440:18:45

you're probably going to get them,

0:18:450:18:46

and nobody likes them.

0:18:460:18:48

But for some teenagers,

0:18:480:18:49

puberty can make spots a lot worse.

0:18:490:18:52

Clear.

0:18:520:18:54

So, why does puberty make spots worse?

0:18:540:18:56

Well, imagine this is your skin

0:18:560:18:58

and there is a hair follicle with a hair growing out of it.

0:18:580:19:01

Now every hair follicle has

0:19:010:19:03

a sebaceous gland,

0:19:030:19:05

which makes a special kind of oil called sebum,

0:19:050:19:07

and sebum's good normally,

0:19:070:19:09

it keeps your skin moist.

0:19:090:19:10

But, during puberty,

0:19:100:19:12

sebum levels can skyrocket,

0:19:120:19:15

can block up the hair follicle...

0:19:150:19:17

..and cause a spot.

0:19:180:19:21

Everyone has to put up with the odd spot now and then,

0:19:210:19:24

but if it gets really bad, it's called acne.

0:19:240:19:27

And if you have acne, there are special clinics on standby to help.

0:19:270:19:31

'I'm visiting a special acne clinic

0:19:330:19:35

'at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.

0:19:350:19:38

'In charge today,

0:19:400:19:41

'consultant dermatologist, Tess McPherson.'

0:19:410:19:43

What kind of things cause acne?

0:19:450:19:47

I think there's lots of myths associated with acne.

0:19:470:19:49

It doesn't mean you've got dirty skin.

0:19:490:19:51

Other things which people always ask me about is diet,

0:19:510:19:54

and there's not much evidence that diet plays a clear role.

0:19:540:19:57

If you've had bad acne in the family,

0:19:570:19:58

you're more likely to get bad acne yourself,

0:19:580:20:00

so, certainly, genetics play a role.

0:20:000:20:02

But the main cause is hormones.

0:20:020:20:04

This is 15-year-old Josh.

0:20:040:20:06

Hard to believe he had bad acne for a couple of years.

0:20:060:20:09

I had it all over the face,

0:20:090:20:11

the back, the neck,

0:20:110:20:13

up the back of the neck, a bit on the chest as well,

0:20:130:20:15

it wasn't very nice.

0:20:150:20:17

But after seven months of treatment at the clinic

0:20:170:20:19

with a tablet that stops the production of sebum,

0:20:190:20:21

Josh is doing much better.

0:20:210:20:24

Although he does have some left-over scarring on his back.

0:20:240:20:27

So was your back probably the most severely affected area?

0:20:270:20:29

Oh, yeah, definitely.

0:20:290:20:30

So although that scarring does look quite dramatic at the moment,

0:20:300:20:33

over time that will fade, and those will end up going.

0:20:330:20:35

Some of these ones which are a little bit bumpy

0:20:350:20:37

will flatten out over time.

0:20:370:20:39

And now I've had the treatment, I'm a lot happier.

0:20:390:20:41

As long as it cleared up on my face, I was pretty much happy with that.

0:20:410:20:44

So don't worry, scars can fade.

0:20:440:20:46

But remember, don't pick.

0:20:460:20:47

If you're worried about getting spots when you're a teenager,

0:20:470:20:51

then don't panic.

0:20:510:20:52

In severe cases like Josh,

0:20:520:20:54

doctors can prescribe creams and tablets to help,

0:20:540:20:57

but everyone gets some spots,

0:20:570:20:59

and here's some tips.

0:20:590:21:00

Apart from creams and medicines,

0:21:000:21:02

you can help yourself by shampooing your hair regularly,

0:21:020:21:05

and avoid letting it fall across your face.

0:21:050:21:08

Don't wash affected areas of skin more than twice a day,

0:21:080:21:11

and don't pick them.

0:21:110:21:12

Now we go back on call, and it's Chris's turn.

0:21:130:21:16

Jan, let's go.

0:21:160:21:17

Chris, shall we use the car?

0:21:190:21:21

So, a call has just come in and it's another mysterious sounding case.

0:21:250:21:29

All we know is it's an adult male,

0:21:290:21:31

so it literally could be anyone.

0:21:310:21:34

A fast response time can be crucial,

0:21:350:21:37

especially when you're dealing with...

0:21:370:21:38

medical emergencies?

0:21:380:21:40

This all looks a bit familiar to me.

0:21:450:21:46

He's upstairs.

0:21:480:21:50

We better go see him.

0:21:500:21:51

HEAVY BASS BOOMS

0:21:510:21:53

Let's go see what's going on.

0:21:530:21:55

What's that noise?

0:21:550:21:56

-MUSIC STOPS

-What?

0:21:590:22:01

Chris? Jan?

0:22:010:22:02

Xand? What's going on?

0:22:020:22:04

Well, one minute I feel fine,

0:22:040:22:06

and then the next minute I just feel so frustrated and angry

0:22:060:22:09

and I just don't...

0:22:090:22:10

I'm just in a bad mood.

0:22:100:22:13

So you called an ambulance because you're having mood swings?

0:22:130:22:15

-Yeah.

-Xand, this is not on, you don't call an ambulance

0:22:150:22:18

-just because you're having a mood swing.

-Sorry, Jan.

0:22:180:22:21

Oh, dear, it looks like Dr Xand got a Jan Vann telling-off.

0:22:230:22:27

Now, you don't want to be on the receiving end of one of them,

0:22:270:22:30

I can tell you.

0:22:300:22:31

OK, so, what's been going on?

0:22:310:22:33

You know, I don't know whether I'm coming or going,

0:22:330:22:35

I mean, one minute I feel fine and then the next minute,

0:22:350:22:37

just everything gets me down, like this strawberry milkshake,

0:22:370:22:40

I can't get the lid off and they've just put it on really tight

0:22:400:22:43

and I can't get it off.

0:22:430:22:44

OK, give it here.

0:22:440:22:45

There you go.

0:22:450:22:46

Thank you.

0:22:460:22:47

So what Xand's got is really, really normal during puberty,

0:22:470:22:50

he's having a mood swing.

0:22:500:22:51

Now, lots and lots of different stuff can set off a mood swing,

0:22:510:22:55

but the underlying reason is the same for all of them.

0:22:550:22:58

It's to do with changes in hormone levels

0:22:580:23:00

that are happening in your body as you grow up.

0:23:000:23:03

You need to try and do some sport,

0:23:030:23:04

maybe read some books and try and occupy yourself.

0:23:040:23:06

-I like sport, I could do some sport, yeah.

-You do like sport?

0:23:060:23:09

-OK, so do some sport and make yourself feel better. Yeah?

-OK.

0:23:090:23:12

There are a few different things you can try

0:23:120:23:15

if you're having difficulty with your moods.

0:23:150:23:17

You can take some time out, you can listen to some music,

0:23:170:23:19

you can just do some deep breathing,

0:23:190:23:21

but the number one thing is make sure

0:23:210:23:23

you ask for help from someone you trust.

0:23:230:23:26

So don't worry if you're having mood swings.

0:23:280:23:30

The main thing to remember is that there are really some simple

0:23:300:23:33

things that you can do about it...

0:23:330:23:34

..but calling 999 isn't one of them.

0:23:360:23:38

This one's for the girls.

0:23:410:23:43

Growing up is fun.

0:23:440:23:45

you get to do stuff you've not been allowed to do before.

0:23:450:23:48

Whoopee!

0:23:480:23:49

Everyone gets a tummy ache occasionally,

0:23:490:23:51

but there's another type of tummy ache girls get one day,

0:23:510:23:54

when you get your period.

0:23:540:23:55

Don't panic, it's completely normal,

0:23:550:23:57

and your period will only last a few days each month.

0:23:570:24:00

Inside girls' bodies are two organs called ovaries,

0:24:000:24:03

which produce eggs.

0:24:030:24:05

Eggs are one of the things needed to make a baby when you're an adult.

0:24:050:24:08

And in your womb, where a baby grows,

0:24:080:24:11

a nice cosy lining gets made each month.

0:24:110:24:14

But when there's no baby,

0:24:140:24:15

the lining isn't needed and comes out as a bit of blood.

0:24:150:24:18

When it happens, tell an adult you can trust.

0:24:180:24:21

And if you feel a bit moody, that's normal too.

0:24:210:24:24

Just be careful who you bare your teeth to.

0:24:240:24:26

Are you finding it hard to sleep?

0:24:310:24:33

Finding it even harder to get up?

0:24:350:24:36

Are your parents constantly having to nag you to either go to bed

0:24:380:24:41

or wake up in the morning?

0:24:410:24:42

CHRIS, GET UP!

0:24:420:24:43

Well, you've come to the right place.

0:24:440:24:46

This is Dr Chris's

0:24:460:24:47

one-stop-sleep-shop-clinic-place

0:24:470:24:50

for all your sleep-related needs.

0:24:500:24:52

Terms and conditions apply.

0:24:520:24:53

Monsters under the bed will not be dealt with as a cause of lost sleep.

0:24:530:24:56

Offer only applies to die-hard "Operation Ouch!" fans.

0:24:560:24:58

Going to bed late and not getting up on time are things

0:24:580:25:01

we all do occasionally.

0:25:010:25:02

But if you're hitting puberty,

0:25:020:25:03

there's actually a scientific explanation.

0:25:030:25:05

It's not just laziness,

0:25:050:25:07

or not most of the time,

0:25:070:25:08

it's all part of becoming an adult.

0:25:080:25:10

Now to show you why, I'm going to need some spit,

0:25:100:25:13

and some more sleep. Now leave me alone.

0:25:130:25:15

These volunteers are going to demonstrate how puberty

0:25:160:25:19

changes how you sleep.

0:25:190:25:20

Meet Ashleigh and Emma.

0:25:220:25:24

They're eight years old

0:25:240:25:25

and they're our young sleepers.

0:25:250:25:27

This is Thomas, Megan and Alannah.

0:25:270:25:30

They're all 13,

0:25:300:25:31

they're our teen sleepers.

0:25:310:25:33

I'm asking them to collect samples of their saliva every hour

0:25:330:25:36

between 4.00pm and when they go to bed.

0:25:360:25:38

So, does everyone understand?

0:25:380:25:40

ALL: Yes.

0:25:400:25:42

We need to spit in these pots.

0:25:420:25:43

Yay!

0:25:430:25:45

The samples our two groups are taking

0:25:450:25:47

will allow me to monitor levels

0:25:470:25:49

of a hormone called melatonin.

0:25:490:25:51

It's 6.00pm, so I need to spit now.

0:25:510:25:53

Melatonin is a hormone your body releases to make you fall asleep

0:25:530:25:57

and get some rest.

0:25:570:25:58

Goodnight.

0:25:580:25:59

I've come to meet neuroscientist Dr Paul Gringras.

0:26:010:26:05

He's been analysing our saliva samples for levels of melatonin.

0:26:050:26:09

What are the results then, doc?

0:26:090:26:11

The younger children,

0:26:110:26:12

their melatonin was starting to

0:26:120:26:14

be produced about 7.30,

0:26:140:26:16

or eight o'clock at the latest.

0:26:160:26:18

So that's why if you're younger,

0:26:180:26:20

you get tired around this time,

0:26:200:26:21

but it changes as you reach puberty.

0:26:210:26:24

For the teenage group,

0:26:240:26:25

their melatonin was not even being produced till about ten or 11.

0:26:250:26:29

And that's why they don't feel tired until much later on.

0:26:290:26:33

But you have to be careful because

0:26:340:26:35

some things can stop the melatonin doing its job.

0:26:350:26:39

We've actually got a body clock that's sensitive to light.

0:26:390:26:42

If you start doing things with bright lights,

0:26:420:26:45

you are managing to switch off your own melatonin,

0:26:450:26:48

which is one of the problems.

0:26:480:26:49

So screens like iPads and electronic hi tech stuff

0:26:490:26:53

have a lovely bright blue light which keeps us alert,

0:26:530:26:56

and in the evening it's about the very worst thing you could do.

0:26:560:26:59

So the best thing to do before bed

0:26:590:27:01

is to stay away from computer screens.

0:27:010:27:04

But because you're going to bed much later than you were before puberty,

0:27:040:27:07

and still having to get up at the same time,

0:27:070:27:10

that can take some adjusting to.

0:27:100:27:12

If you yourself are finding it difficult to wake up,

0:27:120:27:14

well, now, you know.

0:27:140:27:15

There's a biological reason for it.

0:27:150:27:17

You're not just being lazy.

0:27:170:27:19

Goodnight.

0:27:190:27:20

Although we've not been able to include everything in this puberty

0:27:260:27:29

special, hopefully we've covered most of what you wanted to know.

0:27:290:27:32

And remember, puberty is totally normal.

0:27:320:27:34

It may start earlier for some of you than for others,

0:27:340:27:37

-but it happens to everyone in the end.

-What?

0:27:370:27:40

It's just another phase of growing up.

0:27:400:27:42

And preparing you for being an adult.

0:27:420:27:44

Which is pretty exciting, really.

0:27:440:27:46

And if there is anything you want to know, remember,

0:27:460:27:48

you can always ask a parent or a teacher,

0:27:480:27:50

they've been through it, too.

0:27:500:27:51

Most importantly...

0:27:510:27:53

-BOTH:

-Don't panic!

0:27:530:27:54

ALARM BLARES

0:27:540:27:55

Chris, there's an emergency case

0:27:550:27:57

of greasy hair in A & E!

0:27:570:27:58

Panic stations!

0:27:580:28:00

I thought we just agreed not to panic?

0:28:010:28:02

You just need that.

0:28:020:28:04

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