Anyone else in this group? She actually drinks very little milk (a common cause from what I've been led to believe) She takes at least a quick shower daily. I can and will remind her to scrub her 'pits better but I know enough to know that "B.O." is not so much cleanliness as it is hormonal...which is freaking me out a little, I'm not gonna lie!
Thanks to everyone...you assured me it was normal enough and gave me good tips around deodorant vs antiperspirant. I bought her some Toms unscented on my way home today, and casually mentioned to her it was time to swipe a little in the mornings. Just a 2nd grade, 7 3/4 'thing'. We've already had the puberty, and most of the birds and bees talk, so she is clear on what is going on with her body and hormones.
A special thanks to Theresa who let me know I might have another 6 or more years before her period...fingers crossed!
Hi H., my teeny tiny precious daughter starting stinking around 8, too. She liked using deo at that age. Made her feel like a grown up. Oddly, my boys were 10 or 11.
Good news is, she didn't get a period until 14.
:)
Don't feel bad, my 7 1/2 year old daughter is just starting to need a lil deordorant. She's also starting to develop but that may just be because she a lil chubby.
Puberty starts long before menstruation and it usually starts with BO and hair. Not too early or surprising. Many of my daughter's friends needed deodorant that early.
Normal. I just walked past my 8 year old about a month ago and went "oh my God what is that?!"
He now has a stick of deorderant he uses daily. No more mom freak sessions. =)
Not surprising.
Time for a quick swipe of deodorant after the daily shower.
Ours started wearing deodorant at 6 or 7, can't remember. She also doesn't like milk, we eat organic as much as possible, etc. etc. No big deal, just get her some deodorant. We use Speedstick, unscented. I just posted on another question that it's rated a 1 in toxicity on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being highest.
My daughter started using deodorant at 7. Even with daily showers she just had a BO smell from under her arms. She uses the Tom's line of deodorant and we also make sure she's using "real" soap instead of baby wash from her younger siblings. Now, she knows that it's just part of her morning routine and all is good. Good luck to you and your daughter!
It happens. My daughter started having body odor around seven, had her first period at nine.
Deodorant is fine, but do NOT put anti-perspirant on a child, and do NOT use the anti-bacterial stuff. Those skin bacteria actually help control the odor by, among other things, blocking the proliferation of skin fungi. .
Yes, kids can start to have B.O. already at this age.
It is more common than you think.
At that age my daughter was using deodorant.
And she does not drink milk, at all.
And yes, at certain age junctures, a kid's hormones changes. Just like any other physiological age change or developmental spurt.
And it can change.
Some days they are real stinky.
Some days they are not.
Now, from 9-12 years old, this is also the "Tween" ages.
And some girls even get their periods at 9 years old.
So, just a head's up.
Then, the 'American Girl" book series, is great for the Tween ages. It is for girls. And it is very age appropriate and covers all kinds of topics, from 'The Care & Keeping Of You" and etc. I recommend getting these books. I had them for my daughter before she was 8 years old. I read them. And then when I felt she was ready, I gave it to her, she loves it, and she likes to look at it with me discuss it.
Completely normal :)
yeah, the hormones seem to be kicking in earlier and earlier, even with consciousness about environmental and nutritional hormones on the rise. i'd avoid anti-perspirants, but get her some natural deodorant. the 'crystal' line seems to be a good one for kids.
khairete
S.
Yes, my older daughter started getting kind of stinky at age 7. I noticed it was much worse during times of stress, actually. She was (and has always been) very good about showering every day and washing thoroughly, but still, she was just getting stinky by the end of the day. She started wearing deodorant around age 7 1/2. She's now 11, and it turns out she was just an early bloomer, and puberty started on the early side for her.
My other daughter is 8 1/2 and isn't stinky at all - but then, I think she will go through puberty on the later side. She's still really short and tiny.
Neither one of my daughters drinks much milk (if any), and I'm good about buying organic meats, so I don't think they're getting any weird hormones from that. Some kids just develop on the early side, I guess.
It's possible that she is dehydrated, or it could be related to her diet. You should bring this up to your pediatrician.
It's not just pits and sweat, BO can come from "all over" (smells and oils from pores all over the body).
Wearing clean clothes every day, with some antiperspirant and/or body spray, is a good way to attack it.
She's just growing up. Hugs to her!
Our children's bodies are maturing more quickly because of their healthier diets.
She needs to use some deodorant soap on her underarms and her feet. Then purchase some antiperspirant to use. They have natural antiperspirants at the store.
My sisters boys were probably around 3 when they developed BO. She just put deodorant on them and chalked it up to having BO really early.
We have the same problem in my family. It's a combination of hormones and sweat. My oldest son who is in the 3rd grade, showers every morning. Sometimes, he'll shower 3 times a day if he gets too smelly especially after hockey. We use Dial Antibacterial body wash (the clear blue or purple kind). It really helps with this problem. I also found that much of the sweat comes through the head. So, make sure she washes her hair with a good shampoo that cleans the scalp as well as the hair. If it were me, I'd make sure she kept her hair at a shorter length for more manageability. I also wash clothes daily and use fabric softeners to make his clothes smell good.:) Clothes made of cotton also absorb odors better than clothes made of other materials.
