What are milestones in physical development for tweens (children 9-11 years of age)?
The physical changes associated with puberty may start as early as 8 years of age in girls and 9 years of age in boys. While this early time frame is unusual, it is not uncommon to have the earlier pubertal milestones starting by 11 years of age. A moderate percentage of late tweens may develop body odor, an increase in sweat rate, and an increase in skin oils which may be associated with early acne. Physical skills development in this age group underscores the neurologic ability to master complex integration of upper- and lower-extremity reciprocal actions. Competitive swimming and tennis require such a refined skill set. Likewise, the refinement of depth perception and visual anticipation becomes increasingly obvious when watching baseball, basketball, or soccer athletic matches. The ability to predict where the ball will be is paramount as skill level matures. For some children, however, it may become obvious that all athletes are not created equal and parental encouragement and exp
