7 yr old with Body Odor

[sheehanl]

I'm looking for some advice. My 7 yr old daughter recently started smelling of adult body odor. We live in Florida, so it is hot and she does run and play outside often. One doctor suggested pre-puberty but she doesn't show any of the classic signs (over weight, breast/pubic hair development, etc.) and she has been on organic everything since she was born ... so, its not that. I took her to a more homeopathic doctor and she did a ton of food and environmental allergy testing and nothing came back positive.

So, she's generally very healthy but it still seems strange to me that she can occasionally smell like a truck driver! No offense! The doc suggested an elimination diet ... specifically looking at gluten, but I'm starting to wonder if perhaps this is just normal, for her.

Does anyone else have a stinky kid?

Just FYI - to keep teasing to a minimum she's been using Tom's Deodorant and it certainly helps, but I do get nervous knowing that our hot Florida summer is just around the corner!

Help me feel better about this!
Thanks!!

[Doodlebugsmom]

I started getting a little stinky at about 8 years old. Didn't start my period or anything until I was 12, though. So, I wouldn't worry too much about puberty. I was going to suggest Tom's deodorant for the time being! It's what I use. FWIW, I never got teased about it. I don't even know if anyone other than my parents smelled it. I don't see how my friends wouldn't have, though. There were several of us in my group of friends who started having b.o. at that time. Nobody ever said a word about it.

[SAHDS]

My sister started getting body odor around 6 and my best friend's daughter just started getting body odor also. My sister wasn't an early bloomer (late, actually), but I think my BF's daughter may be.

Both started wearing antiperspirant to help.

On a side note, is Tom's just a deodorant? From what I've read, it is. This is only going to 'cover' the smell so if it gets bad enough, you'll be able to smell b.o. mixed with lavender - yuck. Does Tom's make an antiperspirant (I can't find one)?

[sheehanl]

From what I understand, usually antiperspirant generally contains aluminum ... which is considered unsafe in adults and certainly in children. So, especially with kids it is better to avoid it if possible.

[angela&avery]

my ds smells more recently , he is 7 ..

we noticed his breath smelling despite brushing regularly and I asked the family dentist (who Ive known since childhood) and he said "he's growing up, mom!"
ok.........


anywho, please do sumthing!!! educate, etc.. My neice starting have serious BO around age 8-10 and nobody spoke to her and it was BAD....

Id say either do something or maybe start daily showers?? I know we bathe ds more now that he is smellier faster.

Or do a pitwash every other day or something.

[octobermom]

You can tackle it from the inside Chlorophyll is one way tablets or through diet Vitamin B and a combination of Magensium and zinc

[hubris]

Originally Posted by SAHDS

On a side note, is Tom's just a deodorant? From what I've read, it is. This is only going to 'cover' the smell so if it gets bad enough, you'll be able to smell b.o. mixed with lavender - yuck. Does Tom's make an antiperspirant (I can't find one)?

The odor is from bacterial growth. While an antiperspirant does reduce wetness, and would inhibit bacterial growth, many people avoid antiperspirants for health reasons (check the natural home & body care forum for tons of threads about deoderants ). Something targeted at reducing bacteria - maybe a deoderant with baking soda in it - might be helpful.

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by sheehanl

From what I understand, usually antiperspirant generally contains aluminum ... which is considered unsafe in adults and certainly in children. So, especially with kids it is better to avoid it if possible.

Very true, that's why I was hoping there was a natural antiperspirant. From what I've recently read, a few ideas were a baking soda paste or a sage 'rub'.

Wonder if those would work...?

[fibermama]

not to be too crunchy here...(is that possible on mdc?? i am new here)...

people are animals and we have our own unique odors. If your daughter washes her armpits to remove bacteria every day and uses a bacteria-inhibiting deodorant like Tom's every day, then, barring a more serious medical condition, what people smell on her is just *person*. I spent several summers in France, and that's where I learned that people are not supposed to smell like perfume bottles or flowers...we smell like humans, and that's OK. Of course, you don't want her to be teased by kids and so you do what you need to do and what's right for you two...but make sure you don't make her natural scent a source of shame for her. I say this in love, as a kid who was made to feel dirty by my own mom for just smelling like me