6 Year Old with Terrible Body Odor

Hello,
That is odd that your 6 year old daughter is perspiring at her age - usually, that doesn't kick in until ages 10-11. I am a homeopath and believe there is a remedy to help your daughter, but I need a little more information:

Is there a time of the day that she sweats more than other times?
Does she sweat at night, while sleeping?
Does she sweat even when she is cold?
Exactly (as best as you can describe it)how does it smell? Acrid? Sour? Musty? Like a food or spice?
How old was she when this problem started?
What childhood illnesses has she had and at what age?

A homeopathic remedy would get to the cause, but in the mean time, you might want to try a deoderant stone.

Deoderant stones kill the bacteria that cause the odor. Regular deoderants don't do that. They sell them at that natural food store in Davidson, but here is a website for you to learn about them, if you'd like:
http://www.deodorantstones.com/

Also, if you have never heard of homeopathy, this is a great website to explain it. http://www.1800homeopathy.com/

You won't find a remedy for her there - it'll take some research for me to pin down the best one for her. It's nothing that she'd have to take for the rest of her life - maybe one month will cure her!

T. S.
Naturally Better

earthclinic.com is my favorite site for natural remedies.

http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/body_odor.html

Make sure she is drinking plenty of water. Also, you might try checking her diet. Cutting out sodas, sugar substitutes, dairy, etc. one at a time to see if the problem gets better. If it does, then reintroduce the food to make sure it is the culprit. Food allergies/sensitivities can have some bizarre effects. Good luck.

My little girl also has that problem!! She's 4 1/2 now, but we noticed it more than a year ago. We have found that a deodorant stone works terrifically. You can find it in stores like Whole Foods. It's a mineral block that you put water on, then apply to the underarms, and it totally gets rid of the odor.

One other piece of advice: just make sure there are no signs of premature puberty. Check for hair under the arm, pubic hair, growth of breasts, etc. If you see any of those signs, get to the doctor!

Hope this helps!
D.

Hello J., I had that problem with my daughter for a couple of years now. I have found that degree works great they just sweats bad...my daughter is not 18 and it is still working for her...

Speaking as a nurse, I would want this evaluated. The first thing that comes to mind is endocrine issues or infection.

Wow, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one with this problem. My daughter is 9 and I thought it was because she was so active in gymnastics, but then she stopped and it continued. I have to do the same thing; she must take a shower every night, put deoderant on after and then again when she wakes up. The only thing that I can offer is that if she forgets and the smell is bad which I know it is, you can use sol-u-mel to get rid of the odor. You can find it at Melaleuca.com. I apply it directly to a washcloth and then scrub her underarms. It is nature tea tree oil so safe for her skin. It also is wonderful deodorizer for your laundry. I use it when my boys have accidents.

My brother-in-law had this problem with his daughter at about the same age. They switched to hormone free milk. All of her symptoms stopped after the change.

Have you discussed this with her doctor? It could be a reaction to something she's eating. The other thing you can try is getting some kind of "body deoderant" pills at your health food store. It is basically clorophyll that you ingest and it helps with the body odor. I would definitely try and find a solution now since she doesn't want to be dealing with this at 16!!! Good luck.

Most likely, it is an imbalance of some type of hormone within her body, and can be helped by medication. I would go to the pediatrician and explain the problem. If the smell is coming from all over (sweat glands, not just under arms), then it is probably something internal that the doctors can diagnose. I would not worry or be embarassed, just consult the doctor.

My three old granddaughter has the same problem and it started for her actually at like 1 1/2 years old. Only advice to give is to bring it to your doctors attention and let them tell you what is best. Chemicals are harsh on young children and most don't wear deoderant until puberty starts to take place, hormones are changing. The one thing I noticed about my granddaughter is that she is taller than most three year olds. Her father is 6'4" and so she is like in a 6T already. One word of advice from a grandmother to a mother.....you have to still put the deoderant on your daughter daily, she would normally not have to do this on her own, so giving her that responsiblity is fine but double check is better. You do not want her to get teased at school because children can be cruel and so can some adults. I pray all goes well for you and your daughter and a solution is found.

LYNN

1st of all what does your child eat, what you eat is what your body will smell like;garlic,onions,meat(wrotten)
Change her diet,no meat and no table surgar or junk food for a whole month! ANd then see if she smells quite nicley! You will notice awhole different odor! Try soy products instead of dairy!

Is the body odor somewhat fishy? I saw a TV show recently about a woman who had a genetic disorder called Trimethylaminuria. I just tried to find the show it was on, but I can't find it. I think it gets better by avoiding certain foods.
Also, I saw Dr. Oz on Oprah one time say that regular (non-fishy) body odor can get out of hand if you have a certain bacterial infection. He advised antibiotics and antibacterial soap.
Hope this helps,
L.

I would discuss this with her doctor, or better yet a holistic or naturopath. It may have something to do with her eating habits. Does she eat a lot of meat? Think about what she eats and if that might be a factor.

Hi, I can relate b/c I had the same problem. The one thing that seemed to work best for me was a prescription called DRYSOL. I would take her to the dermatologist and ask...she may be too young for it...it does kind of tingle for a bit once you put it on...I was in high school b4 I went to the doc. Good Luck

Poor kid! Have you had her blood chemistry done? Maybe it is out of whack. I would take her to a naturopathic pediatrician. He may be able to tell what she is eating, or sweating that makes her smell.

It seems to me that she is awful young to already have body odor. I have no idea what it smells like, but I saw something on Dateline a few weeks ago about a disorder called Trimethylaminuria that makes someone smell really bad. Copy that word and search on Google. I think that a lot of things about it say that it's a fishy odor, but I don't think it has to be. I would ask a doctor about it, and bring up this disorder. They can do a blood test to see if she has it. I think the only way to correct it is through her diet. But since it's happening so early, I would say that she should probably be seen by a doctor. You don't want her to have to deal with this her whole life. I hope this helps.

ok.
i am a 34 year old woman with a 10 year old.
i had problems a few years back with bad body odor.
no matter what i did, and i tried it all, i stunk.
so, my mother suggested chlorophyll.
i began taking 2 a D. and within 3 days i was smell free.
you can get it at the health food store.
it is "internal deodorant", it oxygenates the blood.
i see no reason why a child could not take say one every D./other D. and get results.
please research this on the web.
also, i would look into her diet and research the foods she eats/does not eat and how they effect "smell".
but i highly suggest chlorophyll.
try it and see.
and let us know.

She should probably take her shower/bath in the a.m. instead of before bed. (Shampoo often, too). White vinegar helps a little or soda. Wash her clothes in a detergent that 'fights odors' (white vinegar or soda in the wash also helps). Also, maybe your nose is hyper-sensitive and others may not notice as much as you do (?) We all have preferences in the BO of others -- some are repulsive and some are almost erotic!

Dear J. have you tried the new secret or degree deodorants that last for 24 hours? They claim to be stronger than the regular deodorants. There is also another deodorant called Certain Dri that I've seen adversited on t.v. but can't be purchased in the store.

Some people are getting Botox on the armpits to paralyze the sweat glands. See a dermatologist. Sounds like it would be worth it since it seems to be a noticeable problem.

OK--this is going to sound crazy, but I just saw something on a TV show (20/20? Sixty Minutes? Something like that) about a woman who still to this day has a fishy odor that comes from her body and has all her life. The odor is enough to overpower an entire room when it really acts up. Is this anything like what your child is experiencing? There is a name for this problem and I do not recall what it is, but it has to do with some enzyme, or maybe the lack of an enzyme in the body. There are dietary changes that help, and the woman featured in the video clip also showers twice a day, wears perfume, and so forth to disguise the odor. It may be worth investigating. To see if this is similar to what your child has, I would google "woman fish odor" or "teacher fish odor." (The poor woman was a teacher who had to quit b/c the kids never stopped teasing her.) Maybe look on the 20/20 website. GOod luck!! L.

I agree with the person suggesting Chlorophyll. It works wonders.

My niece has the same problem and her pediatrician recommended cutting dairy and only drinking organic milk. Don't know the specifics, but I know my sister-in-law switched to margarine and organic dairy products.

Hope this helps!

-A.

Hi J.,
I noticed my 6 y/o 's "man odor" about 7 months ago, I took him to the pediatrician and they blew it off. They told me this just happens to some kids when they develop early. Since then, the only thing I can attribute it to is maybe the extra hormones injected/fed into our meats and produce. I am not a totally organic person and can not afford it either. But, there is evidence that our children are developing sooner because of this. I do not put deodorant on my child, because of the chemicals. He has to shower daily and on hot, sweaty days I will put baby powder under his arms or you could use corn starch, both of which are better than the chemicals in deodorant. The other thing is, if you use deodorant this early, will it work for them later? I don't know? Good Luck. If you get any great advice, I would love to see it.

T.

I would recommend taking her to the doctor now and explaining the problem. If you don't adjust her body chemistry now, it is likely that it actually gets worse as she gets older. It is usually a hormonal imbalance of some kind. Good luck!

Tmau
March 8, 2008 – 2:34 am

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Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) also known as fish odor syndrome or fish malodor syndrome, is a genetic condition that affects the production of the enzyme Flavin (FMO3).

When FMO3 is not working, the body has trouble breaking down Trimethylamine, a product of the decomposition of plant and animal matter.

Trimethylamine is ingested as part of the diet, and is the substance mainly responsible for the odor associated with fouling fish, bacterial vagina infections, and bad breath.

It is also associated with taking large doses of choline (an organic compound grouped within the vitamin B complex) and carnitine (an amino acid used by the body to digest and dispose of fat).

When trimethylamine isn’t broken down properly, it builds up and is excreted through sweat glands and the urinary tract.

People with the condition usually suffer from fishy body odors, and this can be socially debilitating.

While there are currently no known cures for the condition, the following can help to reduce symptoms:

* Avoiding foods such as eggs, legumes, certain meats, fish, and foods that contain choline, nitrogen, and sulfur.
* Taking low doses of antibiotics to reduce the amount of bacteria in the stomach.
* Using soaps with a moderate pH, between 5.5 and 6.5.

Tags: fishy body odor, tamu, tma, trimethylaminuria, tuma

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J.,
I saw this on a news special last week. It may not be what your daughter is experiencing, but I would ask your family doctor about it. I know they said it was controlled by the persons diet. The people that had it are now living normal lives. One of the women being interviewed had been harrassed all of her life as a child, teenager and some of her life as an adult. She is now engaged to be married. The scars from her past are still there though. The sooner you can find out for your daughter the better! I hope this helps. M.

I remember studying about some kind of disorder about this in nursing school but for the life of me I can't remember about it now. I would ask my dr. about it and see what he says and suggests.