These 4 women’s
bodies may look
different from each
other, but they all
go through the
same changes.
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c h apter 4
Understanding
your body
It is important to understand how your body works. The more you know about
your body, the better able you will be to take care of yourself. When you understand
your body and your normal changes, you will be able to recognize if something
happens because of your disability or if it is a normal change that happens to all
women. This will also help you decide for yourself if the advice others give you is
helpful or harmful.
When a girl’s body starts to change (puberty)
However different they seem on the outside, most women’s bodies go through the
same changes during their lifetime.
Sometime between the ages of 9 and 15, a girl’s body begins to grow and change
into a woman’s body. This is called puberty. Your disability will not prevent this
from also happening to you. All these changes are normal and can happen to any
girl, whether or not she has a disability.