"Funky" six year old?

Six year olds are not supposed to be funky. My 6 year old Sage started getting a "funky" body odor last summer, just under her arms. Not that sweaty dirty little kid smell, but real, PUBERTY smell.

We started being very vigllant about washing and started her using a crystal deodorant (I won't put antiperspirant on a child) or Gold Bond powder on her, and it is much better.

I am hoping it isn't premature puberty. She has really hairy legs (but, I am a Wookie, so who knows) but no hair under her arms or anywhere else.

She does consume a lot of soy, but it's organic. I am still on the fence about Phytoestrogens, and whether they are actually used by the human estrogen receptor, so I don't think that's it. She eats no red meat at all.

Neither Bear or I are stinky people.

I'm a little freaked.

 

You know, it's funny, but I've been having this same exact problem with my 6 (almost 7) year old son off and on within the past year. And it's definitely under arm odor, not simply sweaty smelling, it really does smell like body odor.

My son is pretty big for his age as far as height goes (he's always been off the growth charts), and he looks a lot older than 6. He's slim, but solid. He started losing his baby teeth when he was a little over 4 years old, and I thought that was pretty early too.

My son doesn't eat red meat at all either, in fact, he barely eats any kind of meat. He's a very healthy eater, lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains...

So I'm not sure what the deal is. But it's good to see someone else experiencing it with a child the same age as mine.

I'll be interested to see if anyone else has any input or has experienced something similiar. I'd be expecting this in the teen years, but not now!

 

I heard from a pediatrician that once the first pubic hairs show up, menses will generally start within a year.

 

Weird, Sage started losing her baby teeth at this age, too. First one in Nursery School to have the Tooth Fairie come. I have heard rumors about more and more hormones in our food supply, even having it slip into the Organic foods. I don't want Sage to be "the smelly kid" she is so sweet, and smart ect. Washing her pits twice a day, and using the crystal deodorant seems to be working. She isn't really tall for her age, but she has HUGE feet, a size One in women's, and she will be 7 in October. Are we growing them bigger or something? My feet are only a 5 in length now. (Bear has a size 13, though, he's a big guy.)

At first I thought it was her breath. I was like "Jeez, Sage, brush your teeth." Then, I realized where it was coming from. She was embarressed to use the deodorant, at first, but she is OK with it. I am glad we can get the crystal stuff, and it works for her.

Lola, luckily, Sage doesn't have any hair there, yet. Just her legs. I did at her age, got pube hair at 8 and didn't menstruate until 12. I know breast buds, underarm and public hair and a growth sprurt all play into sexual maturity in girls. In boys, the penis enlarges, they get pube hair (usually later than the girls, I never saw my son's he was too modest by that age, and that was OK with me) the balls get bigger, and lower, and they get underarm hair (and a real "puberty" smelll WHEW!) and start to make sperm. Chest hair is usually last in boys. (My dh only has about 14 chest hairs and he's 46 years old. LOL!)

 

Wow, that's really something! So Sage started losing her baby teeth early too! Crazy!

Ky will be 7 in December.

I swear kids really are getting bigger these days. It's kind of scarey in a way. I mean, what the heck is happening? Kids are physically (and emotionally!) maturing so much more quickly than we did!

 

My two older dds got their first periods at about 9, Sunshine didn't get an other until 11, and Moon didn't get an other until FIFTEEN, but they both started early. I did find out that two of my aunts (0ne on each side) and my MIL got their periods at nine years old, too. At least some of it is genetic, but I think there is something in the food supply. More than just "good nutrition."

 

HCM, are you using anything for the odor, or does washing take care of it? Just wondering. I know the crystal stuff never worked for me, but it does for Sage.

 

My son is JUST starting to smell scary now, just before his 11th birthday. But that crystal doesn't work at all on him - never did on me either. I was thinking of getting him either Tom's of Maine or Jason deodorant to see if they help at all. I like Kiss my Face & Avalon Organics, but I didn't find a "manly" smell in either of those.
love,
mom

 

Tom's or Jason is stronger than the crystal. The crystal doesn't work for me or my dh. I am glad it works for Sage, though, at least for now. I don't want to put aluminum stuff on her. I don't even cook with aluminum.

 

well with the higher usuage of birth control there is now lots of hormones in our water. the hormones in birth control can not be filtered out of our water. it really doesn't matter how much of an organic diet you put your children on because the main problem lies in our water supply. this is one of the reason i will not go on birth control.

 

with endo running in the family, it's highly likely premature puberty. I started having endo symptoms at Sage's age, and started growing hair and boobs around that same timeframe, too, but didn't menstruate until age 12.


FWIW - I usually use witch hazel instead of deodorant (but I'm no longer going through puberty - LOL)

 

I didn't even think endo as a cause. She hasn't complained of any pain. I didn't realize there was a link. Bleh. I don't want her to suffer like that, poor kid.

I have/had endo but I didn't need deodorant until about 11 or so, but everyone is different. I still rarely smell. (What an odd thing to say, but even with perimenopause and all the sweating, I don't smell.)

Of the two older girls, Sunshine gets some cramps, but Moon gets NONE. I can't even wrap my head around that. I wasn't online for two days, we lost half a day due to a storm and cable going out, and yesterday was the "Great Deluge" (otherwise known as "bleeding like a stuck pig" or "The Second Day") and I spent it wacked on Aleve, Vicodin an herb-rice heated wrap and my bed.

 

Was I only gone one day? Damn, it IS a bad period, I don't even know how many days I laid there. Shit. Never mind........

 

Maggie, yesterday was the second day of your period too? The heaviest day? The worst cramps? Same here....How weird!

 

Washing plus an occasional stroke of deodorant. Luckily, he doesn't have to use it all of the time, but sometimes, wow. He really needs it!

 

sorry Maggie.... (((((hugs))))) yes, endo and early puberty are definitely linked, both are usually associated with very high estrogen levels. One of my worst fears is that either of my girls will have endometriosis like I do.

how odd, I'm cycling right now too. period came a few days early (usually my cycles are long)

 

Damn, it's like we are all living in the same dorm or commune. All cycling at the same cycle. I didn't think phermones passed over the net. LOL!


hcm, you might want to try the crystal deodorant for him. It is probably the mildest, and it works for Sage. Same thing with her. It isn't every day, but I don't want to miss a day, and have that be the "funky" one. Kids can be really cruel, sometimes, as I think many of us know. --------I think we forgot it this morning--------and she's got PE. Great.

 

Yes, I think I'll check out that crystal deodorant for him!

Kids really can be cruel, it really breaks my heart to see how mean some kids can be. Hopefully Sage won't have any problems today!

 

She's in First Grade and hangs around mostly with boys, and they are going to be on the "Climbing Wall" today, so I think she's going to be fine. That is all I have been hearing about for weeks, is that Climbing Wall. She was SOOOOO excited.

 

My son is in first grade too and he LOVES gym class!

The climbing wall, eh? I bet she'll have a blast!