Why does dd9 smell funny?

[vhoffman]

My dd is 9.5 years old. Just recently (last few months) she's developed a funny body odor. She hasn't started periods yet.

She showers every night, washes her hair 2-3 x week, always wears clean clothes, and uses a deodorant. I don't get it? Its not typical 'BO' its a rather funny smell. I've known two other people who had the same funny smell, they appeared clean, but that strange smell:confused3 Those other people I knew were very fair-skinned with strawberry blonde type hair, which is dd's coloring. She's adopted, so if its something genetic I wouldn't have a clue!

I truly am concerned about dd. I remember the other two people I knew with this type of odor seemed to be unaware of it themselves, but they were the object of tacky jokes behind their backs. I certainly don't want dd to go that route! Maybe she should shower in the morning--perhaps she produces some sort of odor at night? But like I said, it isn't typical 'bo'. Well, this sounds like a weird topic, but I'd appreciate any suggesitons!

[hvivona]

Try doing the shower in the morning. SHe may be sweating at night. Plus, remember that she's at the age where her hormones are starting to kick in and may be getting close to starting her period. Another thing is look at her diet. I know if I eat any amount of garlic people around me can smell it comeing out of my skin and I can't. If some of this doesn't work check with your doctor. I saw on the Tyra Banks show a woman who had a weird smell that she couldn't smell and others could and it didn't go away no matter how many baths she took and was told it could be genetic our diet related.

[ohiominnie]

It's probably a pre-puberty thing. My dd went through the same thing (although she was about 10.5 when it started) She's now 12.5 and still hasn't started her periods. But ?luckily? her "smell" is more the regular BO now. I just think it's hormonal.

You may want to check out dh's podcast. I know he did an episode on body odor. Sorry I can't tell you exactly what episode it was, but it's in the show notes.
www.pediascribe.com/podcast

[ohiominnie]

Just a side note....curry causes a funny body odor. We went to school and there were a lot of international students who used a lot of curry. And they had a strange smell. So it could be too much of any one spice, I'd think.

My mom recently told me "I need to use more curry in my recipes, I like the way it tastes." And I nearly :scared1: cuz I didn't want her smelling like my college days! :lmao:

[vhoffman]

We don't use an excess of any spices, but ds said today that dd "smelled like garlic". I don't think its a garlic smell, maybe that's just something ds heard somewhere, but she does have an odor!

I'm going to try the shower in the morning, but that would mean washing her hair at night, so sometimes 2 showers/day. Also, change her soap--they currently use Jergens mild, its what the ped recommends for any child below puberty age, other soaps can be too harsh, but perhaps dd needs it. I might try a deodorant soap like Dial. I remember during my late teens I had to shower 2x daily, and wash my hair at least one time daily, sometimes 2x daily, just such overactive oil glands. But dd isn't "greasy" that is, she does not have oily skin or hair. Odd, perhaps a bath in baking soda?

BTW, she's so sensitive. I don't have the heart to tell her that she "smells bad", just gently suggest she change some of her hygiene routine. She does have the American Girl book about puberty, forgot its title, perhaps we could review it and emphasize some of the hygiene. But, I don't think its hygiene, its a different kind of smell, I noticed on two other people with the same skin coloring.

[NotUrsula]

The odd genetic condition mentioned above is Trimethylaminuria, which is caused by a peculiar enzyme present in their sweat. It can be detected by urinalysis. The smell most commonly is kind of fishy, but I understand that it can smell different on different people, and garlic is one of the things mentioned. If your doctor will test for it, it should be simple to investigate.

[vhoffman]

The odd genetic condition mentioned above is Trimethylaminuria, which is caused by a peculiar enzyme present in their sweat. It can be detected by urinalysis. The smell most commonly is kind of fishy, but I understand that it can smell different on different people, and garlic is one of the things mentioned. If your doctor will test for it, it should be simple to investigate.

Wow! Thanks! I've noticed that smell on other people, its not quite a fishy odor, but distinctive. Like I said, its not typical 'bo'.

We'll try changes in her hygiene first, then, if no results, I will discuss it with her ped. Thanks again!:thumbsup2

[cindar91]

my dd who is also 9 has a very similar smell that my husband notices...I just think its her hormones... I started introducung her to different feminine body sprays at bath and body works...its a special treat...and I've tried to not make her so self concience about it...

[jpeka65844]

Your DD is probably too old for this, but my mom says that at her daycare, kids start to smell if they have something lodged in their nose or ear. Just a thought....



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

[vhoffman]

Your DD is probably too old for this, but my mom says that at her daycare, kids start to smell if they have something lodged in their nose or ear. Just a thought....



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

Well, maybe. DD does have a history of ear problems, infections, surgeries, etc. she's due for a checkup with her ENT in about a month. I might mention it to him, can't hurt, thanks for the suggestion.

[luvsmickeymouse]

Dial soap is a good choice.

[Nala2007]

My mom recently told me "I need to use more curry in my recipes, I like the way it tastes." And I nearly :scared1: cuz I didn't want her smelling like my college days! :lmao:


OMG :rotfl2: that is WAY more funny than I'm sure you intended it to be

[ohiominnie]

OMG :rotfl2: that is WAY more funny than I'm sure you intended it to be

Not necessarily. I'm a pretty funny gal. :)

My comment was NOT far from the truth. I don't want to offend any particular nation, but there happens to be one that had a very strong presence at my college and....well, what more can I say than "they had a very strong presence?" :lmao: :lmao:

[vhoffman]

I really do think it could be her head. She's reaching puberty, getting an oily scalp. She might have to go to washing her hair every night, I did all through my teens and 20's.

I just thought of something last night i had her try--rinsing her hair with vinegar. I used to do that when my hair was oily. Mix about a tbsp of white vinegar in a large pitcher of warm water, rinse with that (after shampooing) then rinse it out. It cuts the final layers of shampoo and scalp grease. She tried it last night, her hair looks almost 2 shades lighter! Need to see how long she can go between shampoos, maybe she can skip a day.

[disnutt]

My 11 yo DD has started getting oily hair. I noticed that she smelled 'slimy' the other day when I helped braid her hair. I think she wasn't rinsing her hair thoroughly after washing. I gave her some rinsing tips and told her she needed to wash her hair more often since she's growing up and getting more athletic than she used to be. Seems to be working.

[HappyDznyCamper]

For her hair you might want to try a Tea Tree oil shampoo(DD14 uses Paul Mitchell brand from Super Cuts, I stock up when it's on sale). For her soap, maybe try Dove, it will not dry out her skin(dial might) which will make her produce more oil to replenish the skin.

[mericletwins]

If the smell is a sickly sweet smell, then you'll want to talk to the ped. That is a symptom of diabetes. I'm not sure how much you know of her medical history or if she has had any blood tests lately, but that would be something the ped might want to rule out.

[vhoffman]

For her hair you might want to try a Tea Tree oil shampoo(DD14 uses Paul Mitchell brand from Super Cuts, I stock up when it's on sale). For her soap, maybe try Dove, it will not dry out her skin(dial might) which will make her produce more oil to replenish the skin.

Will look into it. Right now she just uses the cheapest I can get, usually suave, just bought some White Rain. Ds plays with the shampoo, so I just get the cheapest I can. But I might need something stronger for her.

Also, you have a point about the soap drying out her skin and thus producing more oil. Right now they both use Jergens, a mild soap, I noticed Costco has a Kirklands brand deodorant/moisturizer soap. Just wish I could get one bar to try out before investing in a lifetime's supply!

[vhoffman]

If the smell is a sickly sweet smell, then you'll want to talk to the ped. That is a symptom of diabetes. I'm not sure how much you know of her medical history or if she has had any blood tests lately, but that would be something the ped might want to rule out.

She's adopted and we have very little in the way of medical records but I will bring it up with the ped next visit. However, its not a sweet smell, more like a musty smell, kinda like her clothes have been sitting in a damp hamper for 2 weeks!

[Charles Darwin]

before you start consulting doctors, vinegar rinses, etc, why don't you get her to wash her hair more often than twice a week? that would certainally make more sense. :confused3

[HappyDznyCamper]

You say your DD is fair, does she use sunscreen daily? The sunscreen could be getting in her hair or along her hairline(scalp). If she is getting it in her hair and not washing it out daily, that could be the cause. Plain old Dove soap (bar type is pretty cheap and effective) for her skin and my fav. for daily shampooing is Sauve's clarifying. She should also use a conditioner for her hair(same thing with drying out and oil production)

[jennifer293]

I would try washing her hair more than 2-3 times a week especially if she has long hair. As she is getting older I am sure her oil glands are going crazy and making sure her hair is free from oil will probably keep it smelling fresher. I am 31 (today actually..;) ) and I cannot go a day without washing my hair or it looks like a grease pit, and it started doing that when I was about 11 years old. Also try changing her pillowcase often because if her skin or hair is oily that gets on the pillow case and just keeps going back and forth till you wash it again.

[BRANDIRN]

I think Dial soap would be an excellent choice, it's antibacterial. Trying the shower in the morning may help also. I'm not sure what a "garlic" smell could be, other that a hormone thing. You might mention it to her pediatrician.

[willoughbyclan]

I have never experienced this with my girls so I am sorry to say I can't offer any advice. I wish you luck and it seems there is alot of great advice here.

BTW, Happy Birthday Jennifer293, hope you had a great one!
:bday:

[vhoffman]

I would try washing her hair more than 2-3 times a week especially if she has long hair. As she is getting older I am sure her oil glands are going crazy and making sure her hair is free from oil will probably keep it smelling fresher. I am 31 (today actually..;) ) and I cannot go a day without washing my hair or it looks like a grease pit, and it started doing that when I was about 11 years old. Also try changing her pillowcase often because if her skin or hair is oily that gets on the pillow case and just keeps going back and forth till you wash it again.

Why didn't I think of changing the pillow cases? I used to change the bed linens daily when I went through my "greasy" phase, about 11-35. I changed all the bedding every day, because I sweated and deposited oil/grease on them. Right now I change the bedding 2x week, guess we have to step it up. Maybe invest in some new pillows and those special pillow cases, the type you can travel with?

I guess my little girl is growing up:angel: Will try the changes in routine/hygiene, if no results, then discuss other possibilities with her ped. No need to rush to the doctor right now, but keep the suggested possibilities in mind!

[vhoffman]

I would try washing her hair more than 2-3 times a week especially if she has long hair. As she is getting older I am sure her oil glands are going crazy and making sure her hair is free from oil will probably keep it smelling fresher. I am 31 (today actually..;) ) and I cannot go a day without washing my hair or it looks like a grease pit, and it started doing that when I was about 11 years old. Also try changing her pillowcase often because if her skin or hair is oily that gets on the pillow case and just keeps going back and forth till you wash it again.


BTW, Happy Birthday!:flower3:

[mytwotinks]

My dd9 washes her hair every night. On the rare occasion that she misses a night, it looks o.k. for a couple of hours, but by afternoon it's a grease pit. I also have to make sure that she only conditions the very ends of her hair. If the conditioner gets on her scalp it looks gross and greasy. I would hate to see what she would look like if she only washed her hair 2 times a week. That wouldn't have worked for her ever.

Your dd is probably just a late bloomer. You probably just need to have her wash her hair every day. Lot's of kids can get away with skipping a day, but I think most girls need to wash every day by the time they are 6 or 7.

[jennifer293]

Why didn't I think of changing the pillow cases? I used to change the bed linens daily when I went through my "greasy" phase, about 11-35. I changed all the bedding every day, because I sweated and deposited oil/grease on them. Right now I change the bedding 2x week, guess we have to step it up. Maybe invest in some new pillows and those special pillow cases, the type you can travel with?

I guess my little girl is growing up:angel: Will try the changes in routine/hygiene, if no results, then discuss other possibilities with her ped. No need to rush to the doctor right now, but keep the suggested possibilities in mind!



I have 2 little girls of my own and I am sure they will be popping up with all kinds of new things for me...I will cherish the fact that they are only 6 and 2 right now, and the hardest thing so far has been potty training them..hahaha I dread the days of hygiene and PMS...:scared1:


THANKS FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES VHOFFMAN AND WILLOUGHBYCLAN

[LisaR]

For her hair you might want to try a Tea Tree oil shampoo(DD14 uses Paul Mitchell brand from Super Cuts, I stock up when it's on sale). For her soap, maybe try Dove, it will not dry out her skin(dial might) which will make her produce more oil to replenish the skin.

There was just an article in the New England Journal of Medicine (Feb 2007) that said children, especially boys, should not use products containing tea tree oil or lavender oil. It has too much estrogen and can produce breasts in boys. The estrogen levels do go back to normal after you discontinue the product. My dd was using tea tree oil for acne and we just stopped after reading that article a few weeks ago.

Lisa

[TheDizMom]

How long has she been wearing deodorant? Have you changed it recently? I find with my husband that some of the scents they put into the deodorants don't mix well with his body chemistry. The combination makes a bad smell to me:crazy2: . Try finding a more neutral or scent free on and see if that helps.

[vhoffman]

I really think its washing her head every day. She wears her hair long, which makes washing it every day a bit of a management chore, but doable. I hate to tell her she smells, but I'm not doing her any favors by not letting her know. If yur mother won't tell you, who will? I'll have to "gently break the news" to her over the weekend.

She really doesn't want to take the time to shower right, she's just going to have to learn. That head looks so greasy at times! The sooner she learns to manage it the better.

But still, this funny odor, it really seems to be something besides her hair. Like I said in my original post, I knew two people who had the same odor, one a little girl when I was in 4th grade, the other a lady I worked with (was pregnant at the time). Both seemed quite clean, even had shiny clean hair, but that funny smell. Both had very fair skin, sort of redhead, I don't know if that had anything to do with it or just coincidence. The post about it being a meatbolic /genetic disorder sort of fits my observations with dd and others. But lets try the greasy head thing first.

Lets face it, some people are more challenged by their bodily hygiene than others. I had to wash my hair every day from age 11 `35, then was able to skip a day, even now I wash it 2-3 times a week. Some people just don't produce the oil/sweat that others do, they do great on a camping trip! I always hated camping for that reason, I couldn't go 24 hours without a shower without looking/feeling/smelling like a grease pit. Just the way some people are!

[fivefordisney]

I would have her wash her hair everyday and increase how much water she drinks.

Drinking a lot of water really seems to clean your body from the inside out. My friend noticed that after eating certain foods and then working out, she smelled the "food" smell. She told me that the more water she drinks the better she smells! Maybe increase her water intake... Just a thought...

[Shagley]

I remember when I was around 9-10, I hated to shower so I would get in, wash my hair, and get back out. I figured since I was getting wet, my body was clean enough. I only washed my hair because it was greasy. I remember my Mom saying to me one morning when I was about to get in the shower something like "remember, now that you are turning into a young lady, it is very important that you use soap and wash everywhere to keep your body clean". I wasn't offended at all at the time. It wasn't until quite a while later that I wondered if I was smelly and that is why she said that to me. That was the day that I made sure to completely wash in the shower, and not just make it a race to get out really fast. I have no clue if that might be what is happening with your daughter, but you may want to just mention something to her about the importance of using soap for cleanliness (if you suspect that might have anything to do with it).

[ohiominnie]

Will look into it. Right now she just uses the cheapest I can get, usually suave, just bought some White Rain. Ds plays with the shampoo, so I just get the cheapest I can. But I might need something stronger for her.



I just noticed that Suave has a clear "clarifying" shampoo. My dd uses the Neutragena shampoo sometimes which cuts the residue. I'm hoping the Suave does the same thing b/c it's like 20 times cheaper! :) The Suave bottle does say it removes the residue of other shampoos. I'm hoping! :)

[ohiominnie]

When I was a teenager and showering daily (at night) I didn't wash my hair at night b/c I didn't want to sleep on it wet (or damp) so I'd shower and do my body, but then the next morning I'd wash my hair by just leaning over the edge of the tub and putting my head under the faucet. Then I could blow dry it and get ready for the day.

I noticed this also helped get the shampoo out faster b/c the stream of water coming from a tub spout is far more powerful than that which comes out of the shower head....especially for little girls who are that much farther from the shower head. :)

May want to try that too....my dd does it sometimes....but from within the shower (she'll shower, then wash her hair under the tub spout while she's still in the shower).

[HannaBelle]

My DH has very oily skin and his clothes sometimes smell musty. It could be something that has "seeped" into her dresser or chest of drawers. Our linen closet has that smell too.

Have you noticed a smell in her room? I know my DS(13)'s room is really getting funky and he HAS to bathe and wash his hair each morning!

All of that being said, I would probably take her to the dr ASAP just to get a general check-up. Body odor is typical a sign of illness and it is just better to be safe than sorry!

[java]

Things I have discovered with my 2 older children(9 and 12) The 12 year old was going into the shower and washing his hair with body soap because it was easier for him(and um yes- he smelled.) I buy those loreal kids hair products with the strong scents- easy to tell if they washed enough. Now my dd (9) takes a shower and washes her hair every night. She was putting on her old socks!!! She would grab the old socks when she was in a rush as they were right in the middle of the floor- HELLO YOU STINK! So once we figured that out - I made her put socks in the hamper everynight. OH! and she was also notorious for digging shirts out of the hamper if she wanted to wear something. I think it is time for some investigation...... check the clothes and daily hair washing is in order. Good luck! And may she be stink free soon. Feet are often the culprit!

[threekidsandasheltie]

My dd will be 10 later this month, she has problems with greasy hair if she goes more than three days without washing or if she does not rinse well enough. So I have taken to helping her rinse her hair, she is getting better at doing it herself since we got her a hand held shower head for her bathroom.

Washing everyday is not an option for us right now, she bad eczema patch on the back of her neck. :sad1:

[TheRatPack]

My dd has showered daily since she was 7 or 8, she's 11 now. It is a bit more work for me having to dry her hair every morning, but it makes me feel so much better knowing she's clean and not the stinky child. My son takes a shower daily too, and has for some time...he's 12 1/2 now.

I have a friend though, her dd has a funny smell to her. It's not normal BO and it's not a sweet smell, but it smells up the whole bedroom when she spends the night....etc with my dd. She's quite a bit younger though, 6.....so I'm not sure it's puberty related. I've not mentioned it to the mother because I don't want to imply that her child is dirty....she seems clean and never has greasy hair or dirty clothes. It does worry me on a medical level though, as it isn't a normal smell for a little girl to have and even my husband made a comment that it smelled like something rotten when he walked past my dd's bedroom when the little girl was here and he caught a whiff of the smell.

If she was my dd I'd probably talk to a pediatrician about it after trying the daily bathing and washing hair changes. And be careful with the antibacterial soap, things like that can throw off your body chemistry and especially little girls getting to the age of puberty, it could cause her to get yeast infections....etc.

[hsmamato2]

make sure she takes daily showers...the stinkies start well before they hit puberty:love: best thing is a.m.- start the day fresh-
change her sheets weekly, more often the pillowcase if it needs it-
soap type doesn't matter too much,as long as you like it-
start her using deoderant,whatever kind you can find that doesn't cause a skin reaction-
be honest with her, you have certain expectations,no doubt as to your kids appearance and how they present themselves to the world. Whatever those expectations are,just let her know, let her know why(b/c you love her,and want others to think well of her too)
I had to be very firm w/ds on this subject,and explain the minimum daily clean requirements in our house,and my reasons why....:rotfl:
You don't have to say"you smell funny" -just continue to explain about how much fun:lmao: it is to grow up,and have to spend lots of time getting clean!

[MickeyMacks]

Also try changing her pillowcase often because if her skin or hair is oily that gets on the pillow case and just keeps going back and forth till you wash it again.

I agree - changing pillowcases daily was some of the best advice I read when I hit the oilies in my early teens. Also, soaking combs & brushes in hot soapy water every time I washed my hair (age 41 and still can't go more than a day between shampoos without looking/feeling icky and worrying about hair smell!)

Diet can be a huge factor - if she's not eating at least two fruit servings and three vegetable servings a day and is mostly eating dairy/starch/meat and fats in her diet, that will definitely produce an unpleasant odor in almost anyone! The metabolism has to work overtime to handle excess carbs and a diet heavy in protein can cause the body to excrete ketones (ask anyone on Atkins about the funny smell that sometimes goes with a high-protein diet!)

I'm no nutrition expert but I have noticed an improvement in, um, "freshness" since reducing my carb intake to 2-3 small servings/day (and absolutely no pop or juice!)

Unfortunately my 9.5 yr old son has not slowed down on juice and carbs yet and oh yeah, does he have a noticeable body smell if he misses a shower or bath just one day! He's had the smell since he was quite young, it's like a sour smell. It seems to come from his breath and his body. He has really gained weight this past year and I'm worried about him developing obesity and diabetes.

I agree with a previous poster that blood tests would be a good idea. You may also want to have her tested for food sensitivities as certain foods (most notably wheat products, also eggs, or orange juice) can trigger skin conditions.

[almburr]

If the smell is a sickly sweet smell, then you'll want to talk to the ped. That is a symptom of diabetes. I'm not sure how much you know of her medical history or if she has had any blood tests lately, but that would be something the ped might want to rule out.


I was wondering about this to. DD8 has a very strong scent smells like syrup. Last year she was in the hospital for a week wit ha UTI,and kidney infection. I thought I had read or heard about the sick sweet smell was a sign of diabetes. Im going to have her checked. Has anyone had this before with thier child?

[vhoffman]

For right now I'm increasing her daily hygiene routine. I found some every day shampoo and a clarifying shampoo. I washed her head in the kitchen sink with the clarifying shampoo, it looked several shades lighter! Now she must wash her head every night with the every day shampoo, I will give it a good scrub once/week.

Also, I just decided to tell her the truth--she stinks! I figure she shoudn't be the last to know! Well, I put it to her more gently than that, but did state in no uncertain terms that she has a distinctive odor and needs to attend to her hygiene better. She went off to her room and cried, but did take a longer shower that night. We might go to morning showers, but seems like there isn't enough time. Might have to change the morning routine.

What gripes me about both kids is that they just don't want to take a bath. Ds will ask so many times "do I have to take a bath tonight? Do I have to wash my head?" I pointed out that the time spent discussing it he could be done! Then he get in there and just lets the water run. He just gets his hair wet, doesn't shampoo, thinks he's fooling us. I can tell the hair is still greasy! Plus the last shower he insisted he had shampood his hair, there wasn't any shampoo in the bathroom! However, ds doesn't have an odor problem like dd, but he is developing zits.

Whe I was growing up I had a problem with oily skin/greasy hair and it was a battle to get to take a shower. My parents thought a bath once/week was enough--the old Saturday night bath thing! And they kept insisting I was washing my hair too much--said I was going to go bald! Honestly, its not glued on! I was always sneaking around to get a shower--try to get one when they went out to the store, watching TV, etc, then dry out the tub so they wouldn't know. I was so happy to go to college, live in a dorm, and could shower and wash my hair whenever I wished. Well, growing up we only had one bathroom so it did create a bit of a bottle neck, but a bath once a week? But my kids have their own bathroom, can take their time, no sneaking around to get a shower, no one pounding on the door as soon as they get in there--we have 3.5 bathrooms, and no one wants to use them!:lmao:

[Rustysmom]

My DS is 11 and he reeks. It's not really B.O. but some other kind of musty smell. I think it's coming from his head although he washes his hair and takes a shower every day. Even his room smells like it sometimes. Ewww.

When he was a baby, his pajamas smelled like maple syrup in the morning all the time. I thought he had maple syrup disease but the ped ran all kinds of tests and said he didn't. He has a form of autism (PDD) and I wonder if it had anything to do with that.

[pbharris4]

My DD just turned 11 Feb. 19th. She's got a fair complexion and she's a Strawberry Blonde as well. She has not gotten her period yet. She doesn't really smell so I don't think it's due to the fair and strawberry blonde thing. Her hair is not greasy either. Now...if she had gym class or something and was running and sweating..then she stinks..especially her head and I tell her she needs a shower.

About the pillows...I noticed that the back of my neck started to stink when I woke up in the a.m. I was sweating and I had just got a shower before I went to bed. The pillow I happend to lay on was the only pillow that doesn't have an allergen cover on it...so I suspect that is the cause as it has happened a few times. So I am getting rid of the pillow and getting another w/ an allergen cover.

It may take awhile to figure out what it is, but you'll get there.

[jdsmom97]

I have to "observe" my boys 8 & 10 once in a while to make sure they are washing right as they do race. I also have been using Paul Mitchell Tee Tree Oil Gel on them since they were 5 and started wrestling (it repels lice:crazy2: ). Now I'll have smelly boys with big breasts!!OMG:rotfl2: ;)

[loriandmatt]

Ds will ask so many times "do I have to take a bath tonight? Do I have to wash my head?" I pointed out that the time spent discussing it he could be done! Then he get in there and just lets the water run. He just gets his hair wet, doesn't shampoo, thinks he's fooling us.

i have one of those boys too!!!! much like the previous poster states, i have taken to "surprise inspections" when my son is in the bath or shower. (he is 11) he is mortified that i pop in on him and actually check if his pits stink or his hair smells even after he swears that he just washed. i have taken to making him get back in and suffer the embarassment of mommy washing him from head to toe, to encourage him to wash himself right the first time. needless to say i only had to do that once or twice to get him to comply with proper hygene.

Oh, if they have hit that age yet.....telling them that chick don't dig a stinky guy works too.

[5Slays]

My DD 6 at the time had a funny smell about a year ago. Took us forever to figure out where it was coming from. One day we noticed it was coming from her ear. She never complained about the ear bothering her, but we took her to the pedi anyway. Turns out, she had a severe ear infection - it was so bad that she only had 30% hearing in that ear.

[belle2594]

My dd is now 13 and we went through the strange odor at that age. I believe hers came from the fact that she was starting to sweat more and starting puberty. My pediatrician said girls often start the hormonal change into puberty about two years before they have their first cycle. Most kids that age do the fake or not very thorough bath, even girls. So, I pretty much just let her know she needed to be more thorough when she bathed and started buying her hygeine products. She also has severe sinus problems and that can cause bad breathe. As long as she takes her allergy medicine that is not a problem.:)

It is probably just the hate to bathe phase, the minute she starts thinking aboput boys she'll start seriously bathing. My dd13 gets up at 6am to bath and wash her hair now. I wonder who the little crush is???? HMM.