Body Odor at 8 Years Old??!!

More than likely she just doesn't wash as well as you washed her. My daughter is six and since I went back to work recently has begun bathing herself on the nights that I don't get home before bathtime since my husband isn't comfortable bathing her. If I work two or three nights in a row I can definitely smell the difference. I would suggest getting her some scented body wash and a pouf of her own since she's more likely to actually wash all her parts with the pouf and smelly good stuff.
If it is early puberty, which has been known to happen to some kids due to either genetics or environmental factors, you should also be noticing other signs such as breast development and the beginnings of patchy body hair. I wouldn't start with deodorant until she has underarm hair in any case.
If more attention to detail with washing doesn't solve the problem I would make an appointment with her pediatrician to have her hormone levels and things checked out, it might be a sign of some kind of chemical imbalance.

Hi K.,
I had stinky pitts at 8 and started wearing deorderant. She needs to wear deorderant. I'm at work and took a survey to see how old everyone was and the range was from 6 to 10 so she's right on. You were late fortunately. :) You don't want her to be embarrassed or teased for having stinky pitts so deorderant is in order. Your little girl is growing up.

It is time for anti-perspirants or deordorants. My daughter was in bras by the middle of third grade. Had the odor problem for 5 months before she began getting her arm pit hair. My cousin's daughter had the odor problem for a year before she started other signs of developement and my 11 year old grandson started using deordorant a year and a half ago and just started getting arm pit hair about two months ago.
Natural course of aging.

My daughters had to start using deodorant at 9-- that shocked me.... I was surprised. (makes you feel old, doesn't it? -- to have a child on deodorant-- Just wait till your son starts shaving!)

Both of my children started using deodorant at 8 years old. They didn't have any other early signs of puberty (they are 12 and 16 now). I buy them unscented deodorant.

I would definitely get her a natural deodorant and have her use it daily.

Both of my children started using deodorant by 7 or 8 years old. I buy the natural deo without aluminum products in it since it is suspected that they are bad for us. It is sometimes a trial to get them to remember it, but it is better than them being made fun of for smelling bad. If you are concerned, call your doctor, but I think I did and was told it was not an abnormal thing (sorry, it has been a while and I can't remember exactly what was said, but it comes down to it being within the parameters of normal).

I noticed a similar phenomenon with my stepdaughter when she was about 7-8. When she first came to live with us full-time, she had already been told to start using deoderant. I thought that was silly for a child so young to use deoderant, but when she stopped, there was a definite increase in the smelliness! At this point, we have her using a very light-smelling (made for teens) deoderant, and I think it has made a world of difference.

My daughter is now 11 and a couple years ago, we noticed she had started having some definite BO. She started using a deodorant then. Some of her friends had started using it by then, too. Nothing to worry about!! It just seems hard to watch them grow up so fast!! I think I was a litle older, too, when I started using deodorant. I have heard things in the news about added hormones in certain foods causing kids to mature faster now than when we were young.

I got some deodorant for myself that I will let my daughter use when this issue comes up with her. At Meijer I found a natural deodorant in a lavender scent. It smells great and doesn't have all the chemicals that other deodorants do. It's in yellow plastic and it's a clear gel stick.

Same thing happened to me with my eight year old daughter about a month ago, she now wears deoderant, it was okay with her at first but now I have to remind her. I was surprised too, I didn't remember having that until I was about 12 or 13 either.

My daughter had underarm odor beginning around 5 years old. It wasn't until she was 7 or 8 that it got bad enough. I have her use a natural deodorant that doesn't contain aluminum. It is necessary to remind her every day.

I totally understand. My son just turned 9, but I started noticing the same thing about 6 months ago. His ped. said to give him unscented deodorant to start with, and we did. I think it made a diff. Only prob., it's one more thing to remind him to do in the morning. I have noticed it's not as bad in the winter as it has been now that it's warmed up outside.
Of course, for girls, they have Teen Spirit, so maybe she'll like those scents? For the guys, the scents were just too strong in the Old Spice/Sure group.

Everyone develops at different rates. My step-daughter developed the need for deordorant anti-perspirant at the same age. I think it is completely appropriate for her to use it. This doesn't have anything to do with age. This is a hormonal change. Some of my friends didn't begin their periods and develop breasts until late middle school. The girls in my family received their menstration around age 11. I wore a size C cup at 11 years old. I was an average size child and considered thin. Everyone is different.

Very funny! My daughter is eight and she will be 9 in august. I started having this problem with her last summer. She washes her armpits, but it does not help. I do have her using deordorant. She uses Teen Spirit, which is specifically made for teens/young girls. It does not have all the harsh ingredients in it like our deordorant. Plus, it makes her feel more responsible about taking care of her body, because it has different "girly smells" little girls love. Good Luck!

wife and mother 4( 4(boy),6(girl),8(girl),10(boy)

My daughter will be 9 in Sept. She started having BO at 8 also.
She wears deodorant/ antiperspirant daily
I have noticed her breast developing but no hair anywhere.
She is getting the attitude to a little.

Hi K.,
This is what I would do. I would make sure she is showering everyday, and showering after doing anything physical where she might sweat like soccer, softball, or gymnastics. I would also remind her to make sure she is washing every part of her body really well. Then, I would buy her a very mild deodorant, and explain to her why and how to use deodorant. You never know, an 8 year old probably won't take much offense to the whole hygiene talk like a 12 year old would. :) Good luck!

My niece is 8 and she's been using deodorant for a while now. I'd just advise that you only get her deodorant and NOT and anti-perspirant. They have harsh chemicals no one needs, especially not a child!

Yes, it is totally possible to have BO at an early age and puberty much later.
My daughter had it around 6 or 7 , and my granddaughter has it sometimes now at 7.
You can use plain baking soda if necessary or I am sure they must have some "natural" deodorant at any Health Food store.I would just try to minimize it and not make it a big deal, so she does not become self-conscious.

my son wears deodorant and has at least in summer and gym days since he was 6. He stinks what more can I say. Just make sure it's NOT an anti persperant, those contain aluminum that is then absorbed into the skin and not good for you, and go with an all natural brand if you can. but yes she can just have stinky pits and be years from puberty, and if she smells then she isn't to young.

This is perfectly normal and no it isn't puberty. This is just one of our body odors that develops first. Using deodorant is fine. My 8yo boy does and I was talking with some moms about, as I call them, "stinky boy pits," and they were saying their daughters had them too. Don't worry about it.