Body Odor in Almost 8 Year Old Daughter

I didn't read the other response - so sorry if I am repeating. But, my daughter is 7 and I've recently noticed the same thing. She uses the same kind as me - Secret and it works fine for her. No more stinkiness.

She will likely start her period soon... so prepare her. As far as deodorant goes - YES - use it! Other kids can be cruel, so spare her. There are non- aluminum ones - I love the one that is a liquid with a roller ball by Kiss My Face. I get it at the health food store and some Publix stores carry it.

Tom's Deodorant is a good one for kids because it is free of aluminum. My son is six and uses it on days he plays sports and is overly active. You can buy it at Wal-mart.

Both me & my husband use natural, aluminum-free deoderant.
I buy it a whole foods.
it's liken by earth science.
I like the rosemary mint and my husband like the unscented.

Hi K.,
My daughter was the same age (she is now 9)and I asked my pediatrician. She said it is normal, hormones are beginning to change. You may be noticing your daughter also has more mood swings. I was reassured that this did not mean that her period would start early too. I was terrified of that for her. I bought her the rock salt deoderant that is all natural. Most stores sell it, or the TOMS of Maine that has no aluminum works well also. I steered away from the regular deoderants because you just don't know, but try the natural ones, they work just as well.

My daughter is 7 and she started to have the same issue of body odor in her arm pit every now and then. I felt it was a young age for her to start having tween and teenager issues but apparently it's not that uncommon. I believe in organic natural treatments so I would suggest Tom's brand of deodorant it's all natural and aluminum free you can find it at Wal Mart they offer the lowest price, CVS and Walgreen's. My mother also suggested a small amount of baking soda and water mixture or Tussy deodorant of which has been around for decades but I haven't been able to find it in any stores. I hope this information helps.

I just wanted to answer to your mention about how your husband is a whole milk, meat and potatoes guy: whole milk is actually far better for you than any other percentage IF it's organic. I agree that it's the added hormones and synthetic chemicals known to mimic puberty which are in most dairy products that can trigger early puberty. So, you don't have to cut out the whole milk or meat if you can afford to get them organic or grass-fed/local. It's pretty scary what they put into regular dairy products!

Hi K.. I have the same issue with my 4 year old. If there are any "kid" deodorants out there - I haven't found them. However, there are natural, safe ones. We use JASON brand, lavender scented. No aluminum or other nasty things... I originally sought it out for my daughter, but have switch to using it myself. It feels a little different than my Secret did, but so far it has worked. There are other "safe" brands though, assuming I wanted to try a different one.

If you can't find it in stores, I know JASON has a web site you can order from and it is also on Amazon.com.

I have a daughter that is now 10, but was about 8 when her problems started. We had no choice but to start her on deoderant when she was in the 4th grade last year. I use the Degree, Just Dance for her and recently moved her on to Secret. We tried the Teen Spirit, but it really did not work well for her. Unfortunately we were forced to start shaving her pits this year too. Eight is not too young...unfortunately girls hormomes are raging younger and younger. When I say raging, I mean their bodies are changing much more quickly. My now 10 year old is a decent sized girl, but not obese and had to start wearing a bra in the 3rd grade too. You are not alone. Good luck.

I don't recall ever seeing one expressly for kids. But when I was young I used Teen Spirit, which is intended for younger users. Seems like it's mild. Look for one that is just a deodorant and try that first. If she is sweating too much, then she needs an antiperspirant as well, those are the ones with the drying agents. But just a deodorant may be enough for her. She's not too young, she's normal :)

Get Alvera aloe-based all natural deodorants. They are cheap at vitacost.com and are effective. You may also want to consider if anything in you daughter's diet is disturbing her hormones to foster the b.o. Cutting out dairy foods might be worth trying.

Best wishes,
J.S.

I've tried a zillion of the natural deodorants and have settled on Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil stick. It has a nice scent and seems to do the job. I buy it at different health food stores, but I think you can find it at Publix too.
I would definitely stay away from any type of antiperspirant (you & her!).
Maybe check with your doctor too...could be hormonal??

Hi K.,
I have a grandaughter who is 6 years old and she also has arm pit odor. Her mom bought her a bottle of Secret Deodorant. She uses it in the morning after her shower and it has taken care of her problem. I also feel that 6 is a little young for this, but we cannot have her smelling bad. My grandaughter told me that people now ask her what she is wearing that smells so good. She does not tell because these are private things.

K.,

I can't think of any particular kids deodorants- I would check AVON. It is the anti-perspirant part that has the aluminum.

I have a co worker who's daughter is 6 or 7, I gave her the AVON deodorant/anti-perspirant. She mentioned her daughter has bad BO. I had bought one of the Avon brands of deodorants & I didn't like the smell so I gave it to her for her daughter.

Not sure how the crystals work.

My mom has started using vinegar & baking soda. She mixes a small amount together & puts it on while it fizzes.

If you want to try a plain deodorant I recommend Tom's of Maine or any brand out of the health food store.

She may be one of these girls that reaches puberty early.

I know the smell well! My 9 yr old son has been wearing deodorant for over a year now. I am very concerned about the aluminum as he is on the Autism Spectrum. There are many deodorants on the market now that do not have the aluminum. I use Naturally Fresh roll-on on him and it works well. There is also an Arm & Hammer one that I believe is all natural. Just look in the supermarket or big box stores. You will see them.

Hi, K.. You don't have to put anti-perspirant on her to help her with this problem. She's getting ready to go into puberty, and it seems like this is her first step toward that. There are nice deodorants for young teens -- the one I know about is called Teen Spirit. They are mild, and you can get them without the antiperspirant, just the deodorant part, and this helps a lot. I don't know what other brands there are, but I know there are more than one.

She will also need to wash more carefully and more often.

Peace,
Syl

Hi: My daughter started to have B.O. when she was 8 years old. We bought her "Teen Spirit" brand and it works great. Hope this helps.

SEcret is what I let my daughter wear at that age.

If she needs deodorant, go ahead & get her something mild. 8 is so young, but I have friends whose 9yos have gotten their periods, so you will need to talk to her about her body changes & what to expect - the armpit odor is a precursor to all the other fun stuff.

Try a crystal deodorant stone. It lasts forever. (Not really forever but a long time) you wet it and use it right after shower or bath. It lasts all day. Look for it at whole foods or similar store. I got mine at a Ritz spa boutique for $13 and it says on it it lasts 12 months. Mine is still good size and it's been about 8 months.

To get my children started on using deodorant, I use just that. You can buy JUST deodorant and there is no aluminum in it. I would try this first. When it says anti-persperent, then it has the aluminum.

ok, so she is headed into puberty, check her diet get her off any soy, any gmo, check out Weston Price for better diet. and yes get her a deodorant, which is different than antiperspirant which have aluminum.

Handle her diet or she may have 2ndary sexual characteritics soon.
best, k

Start her in the morning with freshly washed arm pits and then put a drop or two of essential oil of lavender on as deoderant on each armpit. Totally natural. Also i enjoy geranium. nice thing about lavender is it is mild and gentle even on kids skin.

You are right to be concerned about all the chemicals and aluminum in the standard commercialized deoderants! Luckily, it is easier now to avoid them and use safer products for health and beauty.... You can get aluminum free deoderants that work well and smell nice right at most stores now. Walmart, Target ....even Publix sell Toms and other brands of deoderants, soaps, shampoos and toothpastes that are safer.

Go to the Environmental Working Groups website to see the huge amount of ranked products, even sunscreens to check for safety and effectiveness and to see a list of the toxins and chemicals in products you may be using or are looking to buy. It's a great site for helping make good choices and purchases. www.cosmeticsdatabase.com is the direct site I think.... I will correct this if I am wrong..... Best wishes!!

Wow, what a ton of answers. Forgive me if I don't read all 45 of them, lol........

Diet can adjust several issues. If she is beginning puberty like one lady suggested you should try to postpone it a few more years. Diet plays a big part in pushing little ones into it too early. Remove any soy from her diet. Fast foods with the massive amounts of chemicals are also bad. If you can avoid processed foods at home as well that would be even better.

Every smell that comes from a body is from what's in the body. If you've ever traveled through other countries, the body odors in crowds smell different. Even throughout Europe, the odors vary from country to country :) That's because their diets are different.

To your point...I use and my daughter's use a deodorant that doesn't have aluminum in it. We buy it from a company online. The other ingredients in it are safe as well. We also use a bar soap that contains a high grade tea tree oil that naturally kills bacterias that cause those odors to be even worse. Between those two items and a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, both my girls have dodged the pubescent odors as well.....

God bless,

M.

You may want to consult your dr 1st.

I use to have bad body odor and could not find anything that worked. I found Natures Sunshine Chlorophil liquid. It is green in color and a light mint taste. Other brands are not as pleasing. I put it into my bottled water and call it my swamp juice. Quite tasty. Cholorphil some how kills odor in the body and cleanses the system. Go to your local health food store or feel free to email me at ____@____.com

We live in South Florida and I think body odor can begin earlier here since it's so hot and humid. There are deodorants for teens out there that might be a bit milder than adult brands and are marketed to the younger crowd. My daughters both began wearing deodorant when they were around 10-11 years old.
I would have a talk with her about hygiene and her changing body... and have her start wearing deodorant NOW. It might save her some embarrasment with her classmates- plus she might like the idea- making her feel like a "big girl." : ) Good luck!

My daughter started with BO at 5y/o! She still has it on and off. I buy her deoderant form the health food store. Anything that has no alluminum in it. Its more expensive than the regular kind, about $9.00, but it does the job!

R.

My daughter began to smell around 10 as well. I have encouraged the use of a natural deodorant. We use Tom's in the rose scent or the sensitive skin one in cucumber & grapefruit (my personal favorite.) I have used natural deodorant for 15 yrs and as a massage therapist found it very effective. Important not to be stinky when I am leaning over people on the table!!

Good luck. Oh, I have found personally that putting corn starch (powder but good powder) on top of the deodorant makes all the difference in the world to the sweating factor.

Get used to all kinds of different smells as they age. More to come, especially for girls!!

S. F.
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LMT/Reiki Master

They have natural deodorants at those natural stores. It's not too early to have her wear deodorant. It's the anti-perspirant kind you should be concerned about as this restricts perspiration versus control odor. Perspiration is good to eliminate toxins from the body. Some girls hormone levels develop early and especially these days. I would spare her the embarassment and let her wear some.

You could try one of those all-natural deodorants, or if you are concerned, get a deodorant WITHOUT antiperspirant. (The antiperspirant is the aluminum part.) I also found this info online that you might find interesting: http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2008/01/18/stopping-undera/

Mom of 4 girls here and no it's not too young to start. I have my oldest on teen sprite and she's oly 11 & 9

Prepare for this: Your daughter is beginning her process into puberty. If you don't want to start on antiperspirants, try deodorants. These only control odors. Read the ingredients on the label. And lead her on a strict higene routine to avoid any embarrasing situations.

no its not to early! i was 8yrs old when i first started to get my period and before that my mom would have me put some rubbing alcohol under my arms so you couldn't smell it but i felt like it wouldn't last the whole day. then she put me on "teen spirit" i think its called for younger girls. you can try the alcohol thing and see how it works, if not get the teen stuff. lol but i say get ready because its just the beginning.

HI,
You can buy non aluminum based deodorant by shopping in the men's aisle. Just buy deodorant, not antiperspirant. Mennen is a good brand. That is what my family uses. We do not put aluminum on our bodies.
Maybe you should look at her diet to see if she is eating too much of the wrong foods.
A grandma

go to vitacost.com and put in the top left box where it says search

Lafe's Natural and Organic Deodorant Spray

i use this because it doesn't have aluminum and is organic..
vita cost prices are amazing. this one works great. itis not a roll
on that gets sticky but a spray that goes onlike water....

Lafe's Deodorant Spray Lavender -- 8 oz
Rating:
Unit count: 8 oz36% off
Retail price: $6.19
Our price: $3.96 Ships within 24 hours

My 9 year old son has been having that problem since last year. I've been buying him antiperspirant. I figure he is going through puberty a little early.

no it is not too early....but also bathing every day might help. My kids take their showers in the morning before school. Also, now there are deodorants that you put on at night, that still work all day, even if you wash them off in the morning. I think secret and dove both make a "prescription strength" formula for this purpose. You are right that the kids might make fun of her....I would address this as soon as possible in a matter of fact, non-embarrassing way.

I vote for anti perspirent!!

I would go with a natural deodorant - one that doesn't contain any aluminum. Try Tom's or Nature's Gate. I think Arm and Hammer might have a natural one as well.

She is not to young for deodorant. Try the Gillette for Teens, that's what my girls used. They now use The Little Black Dress.
I have an Aunt that can shower and within ten minutes has bad under arm odor. The doctor said a lot of it has to do with what you eat. You also may want to consider having her thyroid checked out. I never sweated or had under arm odor at all most of my life. Then I started taking thyroid meds and now sweat. I am hypothyroidism. But my Aunt is Hyperthyroidism and since she started the thyroid meds she doesn't have the bad odor she did have. Worth checking out for sure.

If she is starting to have armpit odor, she is probably starting to have armpit hair. My daughters are 12 & 14. Wehn they started to need to wear deoderant we also started to shave there pits. I shaved there armpits for them after they got out of the shower. I did not let them shave themselves until they were out of elementary school. However they are both very involved in youth sports, and we live in Florida so tank tops and bathing suits are a staples and armpit hair is something that I did not want them to get teased about. I did not let them shave there legs until middle school though.

If you want peace of mind go to the doctor and ask him. If it were my child and it has been I would put deodorant on her. I have never heard of the aluminum thing before. I know there is some teen deodorant on the market.

Perhaps if her diet were cleaner........no sugar, processed foods, little meat, etc., it would make a difference. Her body is working to detox, and stopping that would just force toxins inside.

Hi Cathy well I too have had a similar problem and was concerned about the chemicals and alumimium as well. However I started shopping at this wellness company a year ago and have gone non-toxic and safe with their exclusive brand. So if you want to know what I learned, and it shocked me... I am all too happy to share that info with any concerned Moms. I am not a sales person for them, I'm just a happy very loyal customer and they allow us to share our 40% discount too, if you want to try them yourself! Happy to help! ____@____.com

Hi K.,

All health food stores sell deoderants without aluminum.

Also, try pediatrics.com when you have a question re the girls; there's a WEBMD.com for adults.

Fondly,
D.

Hi. At my son's school they said all the kids from 5th grade on have to wear deodorant. I was concerned about the aluminum also, so I went to Nutrition Smart (Dale Mabry and Bearss) and asked them about it. I got something there called Herbal Clear Sport (24 hour deodorant); it has no aluminum, dyes or alcohol.

There is a mineral stick that you can get at CVS that really works. ANd it doesn't have any of the chemicals that the deodorants have. It really does work amazingly well, you just wet the pits and rub on the stick. Good luck!