Deoderant at a Young Age

nobody28

Thu, May 04 2006, 8:08 am

I think my 8 year old daughter may need to start using deoderant. As it's getting warmer I've noticed (and so has she) that she has bad body odor.

My questions are - has anyone else experienced this with their young daughter? Have you started with deoderant, or just made her shower more often? If you have started with doederant do you know a specific type that is better for younger children?

Thanks!

chen

Thu, May 04 2006, 9:07 am

Start with making sure she showers thoroughly every day and changes her undergarments and socks every day. If that doesn't do the trick, then she may be in early puberty. Ask your pediatrician about this. As 8 is on the early side, s/he may recommend some sort of intervention.

Baking soda applied right onto the skin, either straight or mixed with cornstarch to make it a little softer and absorb moisture, will act as a mild deodorant and is about as innocuous as you can get. You can put it in a clean, empty shaker-top spice bottle (preferably not one that held garlic or onion powder!) or a shallow deli container with a lid and apply with a powder puff. Or you can try witch hazel or even plain water to which you have added a few drops of oil of lavender. Put in a nonaerosol spritz bottle or apply with a cotton ball. (Shake before use.)

Avoid antiperspirants at this point, and avoid aerosol sprays altogether. Check with your pediatrician about the safety of commercially available deodorants at this age.

nobody28

Thu, May 04 2006, 9:11 am

EARLY PUBERTY!!!!!!!! Now you're really freaking me out!!! She's my baaaaaby!!!!

But seriously.... she showers every other day, changes undergarments every day....

Definitely will check with my pediatrician...

BTW - what did you mean by an intervention?

Boys"R"Us

Thu, May 04 2006, 9:24 am

I had the same thing with my son, but he was already 11. My doctor suggested that he start with products that were called deodorant as opposed to anti-perspirent. She said that the deodorants are really just a pleasant smelling cover-up and does not contain aluminum. It is the aluminum that is preferable to avoid for as long as possible.
HTH,
Debbie Tongue Out

southernbubby

Thu, May 04 2006, 9:37 am

Early puberty is on the rise today because of all the hormones and hormone stimulating substances that are poluting the environment. When a girl begins menstruating, that closes the door on growth. Some doctors will give the child hormones stopping drugs to delay the process so that the girl can reach full height.
My 16 yr old son never buys anti-perspirants. He uses deoderant only because he is concerned about the health effects. He says that people should perspire!

chen

Thu, May 04 2006, 10:41 am

southernbubby wrote:

Some doctors will give the child hormones stopping drugs to delay the process so that the girl can reach full height.

as well as avoiding the potentially damaging social and psychological effects of maturing and appearing physically so far ahead of one's chronological age.

That's what I meant by "intervention", BTW.

cindy324

Thu, May 04 2006, 1:00 pm

My daughter was 10 when I first started smelling that sweaty odor on her. So I gave her a stick of deodorant, but still have to remind her daily to use it.

Quote:

When a girl begins menstruating, that closes the door on growth. Some doctors will give the child hormones stopping drugs to delay the process so that the girl can reach full height.

REALLY??? I started my periods when I was 11, But I'm prettty sure I wasn't 5'5" then! Also my daughter is 11 now, I'm basically waiting for her to come running to me one of these days to tell me she got her period. If she gets it now, will she stay as short as she is??

Milk Munch

Tue, May 09 2006, 10:17 pm

How about taking her to the health food store to pick out some pretty feminine smelling deodorant (there they have a huge selection without aluminum and other unpronouncables), so she will enjoy using it.

didan

Tue, May 09 2006, 10:28 pm

B"H

red sea wrote:

You can get Tom's of Maine deodorant its all natural and they make it w/o anti-persprnt too.

Yup, that's what I use regularly and it does the job better than anything I've used in the past.

amother

Tue, May 09 2006, 11:59 pm

Don't worry about growth...I got my period at 11...I wasn't even 5 feet then.. I continued to grow until I was 18 to close to 5 feet and 4 inches! My growth was monitored at my yearly checkups and I continued to grow throughout my teen years!

cindy324

Wed, May 10 2006, 12:26 pm

Quote:

Whew, thanks amother!

southernbubby

Wed, May 10 2006, 12:36 pm

Height is predicted by genes and most girls menstruate between the ages of 11 and 13. If a child menstruates at age 8 or 9, growth hormone could be surpressed at an earlier age. Growth won't completely stop but it could be that the child would not reach the full height. The first year or so that a girl menstruates may be non-ovulatory so that might explain why growth continues. Few girls, and even boys are still growing at age 18. Many girls reach full height by age 14 and a boy by age 16 or 17. Small increments of growth could still continue but the majority of height will be reached. Some people experience growth later but the majority are fininshed by early teens is a girl and mid to late teens in a boy.

amother

Fri, May 12 2006, 5:32 am

amother wrote:

Don't worry about growth...I got my period at 11...I wasn't even 5 feet then.. I continued to grow until I was 18 to close to 5 feet and 4 inches!

dito

nobody28

Mon, Jun 05 2006, 12:21 pm

Just as an update - I spoke with my pediatrician, and he said - nothing to worry about - and she could use any deodorant.

Thanks all for your input.

I'm still Freaking Out though!!! I guess I'll always think of her as my baby. waaaahhhh!!!!

chavamom

Mon, Jun 05 2006, 3:31 pm

Please ladies, don't just to conclusions. "Precocious puberty" is not just body odor. Her daughter would be developing in other ways as well - breasts, pubic hair. I doubt that the OP would have missed this.

Some people are just 'smellier' than others for one. Also, keep in mind that puberty is not a sudden occurance, but a continuum over a few years. Development of body odors is actually an earlier sign.

chavamom

Mon, Jun 05 2006, 3:33 pm

Add me to the list of 'continued to grow past puberty'. I even grew an inch after I graduated from high school. Since I started my period at age 12, I highly doubt that I was anovulatory for 7 years.