[whoownsthis]

OK, I know this is a bit off topic from the usual discussions, but I'm starting to get worried (seeing puberty in the not-too-distant future???).

My 7-yr-old (8 next month) has serious body odor. It was awful this summer when the girls first arrived, so we switched them to soy milk and soy yogurt. They also had baths every other night and a wash cloth under the arms in the morning.

Well this morning I put her in the tub to clean up after wetting the bed (not a dry night since they arrived in June--ugh!), and told her to wash under her arms, too, since SHE told me she was "stinky" last night when putting on her PJs. Sure enough, her washcloth reeked this morning when she was finished.

Is this "normal?" Is it an ethnicity thing? Or maybe a health thing (lacking a particular vitamin or allergic to something)? She's very tiny (only 25th percentile for height and weight), and there's no other pubertal development.

The girls are Hispanic (Puerto Rican), but the oldest looks like she has African/Caribbean ancestry. The middle girl looks almost caucasian (with fine, loosely curled dark brown hair). The youngest is a blend (looks like she's a twin of both sisters even though they don't look that much alike, if that makes sense).

I developed late (bra at 12 or 13, period at 14), so I can't use my own experience as a gauge.

Thanks for any info.

[LisaCA]

kids are maturing earlier these days. some folks say it's spurred on by the chemicals we're exposed to on a daily basis, others say it's what we eat (lots of soy) others say it's just a trend or may have to do with all these things.

My nephew started using antiperspirant/deodorant at a very early age (I think he was 7 or 8 or so). his mom taught him to wash under his arms twice a day, add deodorant, and to notice when he needs to wash and add more. He sweated a ton as a baby and just continued thru to his adulthood. some folks just have stronger bo than others. Funny because his mom and I both have minimal sweatglands and hit puberty at 13. who knows?

there are medical issues that can cause early puberty so you should have them checked out fully by a doctor.

lisa

[DianeScraps]

Well, I don't know how 'normal' this is overall. But I can tell you my 7 yr old foster to adopt dtr also has BO issues. I bought her 'teen spirit' deoderant over the summer.

(BTW - she also has bed wetting issues, though not 'every' night )

Her background - Afrian American/ Caucasian, overweight -(approx 85 lbs )

[bohtieque]

I don't have personal experience, but I looked these up, anyway:

http://www.drgreene.com/21_907.html

Says that BO can happen anytime between 8 and 13 in girls.

http://www.drspock.com/faq/0,1511,12845,00.html

This one, though, suggests a stop at the doctor's office because this could be absolutely nothing...or it could be a big deal. Isn't that how it always is?

Hope that helps!

[LisaCA]

found an interesting article that states 48% of AA girls and 15% white girls are showing signs of puberty by age 9.

the racial disparity has caused some to suspect the shampoos and hair products that aa folks use (placentas and hormones in them).

this article has scientific footnotes if anyone wants to follow up:

http://www.center4research.org/children11.html

[Linny]

I'll add this too:
Around here, we bathe every day....and if some of our members didn't......I'd hate to think how they'd smell! I can also say, that one of our children has FAS....and I've been told that some study/ies indicate that children who have this, also tend to have more BO than 'non-FAS kids'. I could honestly believe this, given the amount of alcohol and drugs within a child's system during development, KWIM?

While others might feel comfortable with the deodorant at this age, I think we'd be showering more often before applying the stuff. There's also a lot to be said for the type of soap used by some. I can tell you that some soap just doesn't 'cut it'...and even after a shower, kids can smell like they've not even showered. We use body wash (shower wash, etc)(even cheap shampoo) for cleaning...because it really cuts the BO smell. (We also live on a farm, and I can tell you that when the kids sweat------whew!!!!!)

Sincerely,

Linny

[whoownsthis]

Thanks for all of the links to articles...Haven't read them, yet, but looking forward to doing so.

I, too, would rather have her bathe nightly than have her start deodorant too early. I'm also looking into "natural" deodorant options since there's always that Alzheimers scare in the back of my mind, especially during her critical development years. Has anyone read anything about that aspect?

Lisa, that's interesting about the placenta and hormones, but it makes sense. However, our pediatrician (a Lebanese woman) told us that non-caucasian girls tend to develop a full year earlier than caucasian girls (not just African American girls). She suggested that it was more biological, but had no research to support that assertion. Then again, she also told us not to worry about the bedwetting and to expect it to last into the early teen years!!! (Odd, considering it didn't START until last year...when birthparents' rights were terminated and she began 1st grade.)

I just bought more shampoo and conditioner yesterday and thought I'd try the Suave Professionals "humectant" ones as suggested on another board (maybe by Lisa?) I've never used anything with placenta in it. Ooh, gross! Then again, we've only had the girls since this past summer, and the oldest (7) already had the BO.

By the way, are you saying that soy CAUSES premature development?! I switched the girls to avoid the hormones and antibiotics in cow's milk, and now the soy could be causing the problem?! Where are the consumer advocates these days, anyway?!?!

[sneezyone]

I'm, of course, aa and developed WAAY earlier than my cc friends. I had a bra by 3rd grade and a period by 4th. I've been using deoderant since, well, as far back as I can remember. She's probably just ready for some "big girl" accoutrements.

[blessedx3]

My son started having under arm odor at the tender age of 5. We gave baths daily and did extra washings under the arms. At close to 8 we needed to start using deodorant without anti-perspirant.

[fearful]

My 8 year old son started getting bad BO even though we have daily baths. I'm not sure as to why but I can say he is on a 100% dairy/casein free diet, which means ALOT of soy. (Not sure if that has anything to do with it but, thought I'd bring it up.)

He is caucasion, of normal weight and generally persperates very little. His Dad and I have never experienced this problem ourselves, so we're cluless.

Obviously, this problem is not that uncommon with all the responses though, so I must say thank-you for posting blessedx3 and everyone else for replying, it sure has helped ease my mind!

[Sleeplvr]

Most of the kids that I know started using deodorant when they were 7 or 8. I have noticed that some people just have high body odors and it runs in the family. One of my friends said that a high/strong body odor ran in her family and they had to take two baths a day. BO crosses racial lines and sometimes it is the diet that causes it. My sister swears too much diary causes BO.

I think most kids in that age range smell like billy goats when they've been outside playing.

[redhedded]

Foods that make you stink
Let's take a closer look at the causes of body odor. What foods really cause body odor in the first place?
Red meat is the number one cause of body odor. Red meat causes stagnation in the body; it putrefies in the digestive tract and releases all sorts of toxins into the bloodstream through the large intestine. I've noticed that people who consume a large quantity of red meat on a regular basis tend to have much stronger body odor than those who avoid it. Some people tell me just the opposite -- they say it's vegetarians who stink because they run around wearing no deodorant whatsoever. But my experience is that if a vegetarian stinks, they aren't following a healthy diet even though they are avoiding meat. (You can be vegetarian and extremely unhealthy if you consume a lot of processed foods.) Overall, though, if you find a healthful vegetarian and put them side by side with a heavy meat eater in a sniff test, I'm confident your nose will lead you to the conclusion that the meat eater is the most offensive of the two. It's weird science, yes, but we are talking about a strange subject to begin with.
As far as other foods that cause body odor, manufactured foods -- those lacking fiber and made with refined white flour, added sugars, hydrogenated oils and other processed ingredients -- are the big culprits. When you eliminate these from your diet and shift to a 100% healthful diet made of whole grains, massive quantities of leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, soy products, supergreens, lots of sprouts, raw nuts and seeds, healthy oils and other similar healthful ingredients, your body odor will all but disappear in a matter of weeks.
That's because a plant-based diet is an internal deodorizer. It's true: the chlorophyll and other phytonutrients will cleanse you from the inside out. Some of the best foods for that include parsley, cilantro, celery and all mint species. The aromatic herbs are also excellent: sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and so on.

Well, you smell like what you eat. Body odor is very very affected by diet. However, the odor and perspiration level is sometimes hereditary.

Dh uses Tom's of Maine, natural deodorant, that can be purchased at Whole Foods, TJ or sometimes grocery stores. Too much information, I know: I, personally prefer the natural odor, no deodorant.

[redhedded]

Meant to post the link to the entire article:

http://www.newstarget.com/004417.html

Taken from healthy/alternative living source.

[numbr1dbcksfan]

(Odd, considering it didn't START until last year...when birthparents' rights were terminated and she began 1st grade.)

It may not be an adoption thing though. My daughter started bed wetting around that time, too. Just wanted to throw that in there....

[LisaCA]

some people are concerned at the amount of soy that we consume daily. even those not vegetarians or drinking soy milk/eating tofu get soy from processed foods. Because soy formula has isoflavones or phytoestrogens which are endocrine disruptors, people are concerned that the amount of this in small children needs to be tested to ensure safety.

until this is done, we've decided to avoid soy in large amounts (such as formula). on the other hand, the hormones in milk have been implicated as well, so you can't win. You can try to use only natural deodorants, eat completely organic, don't allow children to chew on plastics or microwave in plastics, use only natural organic shampoos, soaps, eat only organic, hormone free meats and dairy products, etc.

I personally think it's multiple causes that have led the puberty age to drop to below 12. Even water contains traces of hormones from the urine of women on birth control pills I hear-ick.