Body odor in children is not uncommon as they also sweat like adults. Since they are more active, they may sweat more. A bad odor is produced when bacteria act upon one’s sweat (1). Therefore, it is not unusual to experience a little smell from their clothes and body. However, if you notice a continuously lingering peculiar body odor or they are suddenly sweating more than usual, you may consider seeing a pediatrician. Read this post to learn more about the causes for normal and abnormal body odor, home remedies, treatment, and some common myths regarding body odor in children.
Sweat Glands And The Nature Of Sweat
To understand body odor, it is important to understand the anatomy of sweat. We have two types of sweat glands: eccrine sweat glands (clear, odorless, pH of 4.0–6.8, composed of 98–99% water but also containing sodium chloride, fatty acids, lactic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, urea, and uric acid), which are present throughout the body, and apocrine sweat glands (odorless, pH 6.0–7.5, containing water, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and steroids), which are limited to the perianal region and the armpits. The eccrine sweat glands release sweat when you have a fever, eat something spicy or when the temperature is high, and conditions are hot. The sweat secreted by these glands is water-based and maintains ideal body temperature. The apocrine glands are sensitive to adrenaline. They can release sweat whenever you indulge in physical activity or experience any emotion like fear, anxiety, and stress, or when you are sexually stimulated. The sweat released by these glands is oily, opaque, and odorless. But it can create odor on interaction with bacteria on the skin or clothes. Body odor in humans is believed to be primarily mediated by bacterial decomposition of naturally secreted, non-odorous constituents of sweat, especially fatty acids, branched-chain aliphatic amino acids, glycerol, and lactic acid originating from eccrine, apocrine, and sebaceous glands. In children, sweat is usually produced by the eccrine glands. The apocrine glands become active only during puberty (2).
When Is Body Odor In Your Child Normal?
Children usually develop a strong body odor once they reach puberty, however, “it is not actually uncommon for younger kids to have armpit smells due to bacteria,” says pediatrician Dr. Cynthia L.Gellner, in her interview transcript for the University of Utah (3). If your child is old enough and shows other signs of puberty, the body odor could be one of the early signs of puberty. Younger children who have poor body hygiene or who are physically active may also have body odor, which goes away with regular bathing and maintaining hygiene. But, if your child develops body odor before the age of 7-9 years, is smelling strange, or has an excessive odor, then you could consider making an appointment with your child’s pediatrician, says Dr. Kathryn Schaus, a pediatrician at the Marshfield clinic (4). As stated earlier, your child can have a normal body odor, which can be due to some lifestyle habits. First, we will tell you about the causes of normal body odor in children.
Causes For Normal Body Odor In Children
If your children refuse to take a bath regularly, they might smell when the bacteria on the skin contacts sweat. Some of the foods that can produce bad odor in both children and adults are:
Red meat has an amino acid derivative called carnitine. Too much of carnitine can create a “fishy” body odor (5).
Milk contains a protein that can take longer to digest than other foods. So excess consumption of dairy products can lead to a release of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide in the body, causing a foul smell to emanate. The chances of body odor due to dairy may be higher if the child is lactose intolerant (6).
Processed foods made from flour, especially those that lack fiber (7).
Foods containing garlic and onion can cause changes in body odor (7).
Smelly foods like fish, eggs, and legumes (7)
These are some of the reasons for normal body odor in children, which can be taken care of with better personal hygiene, and a healthy diet. If your child is reaching puberty, then sit them down and help them understand that this is a natural process and nothing to be embarrassed about.
Causes For Abnormal Body Odor In Children
Sometimes body odor could indicate an underlying disease. Here, we tell you about some conditions for which body odor could be a symptom. But some children experience premature adrenarche (at the age of eight in girls and nine in boys), which could be associated with insulin resistance, increased chances of developing the metabolic syndrome (a condition which increases the risk of heart attack), or polycystic ovary syndrome (10). So, if your child’s body odor is like that of an adult, and often requires deodorants, then look for other signs such as pubic hair, development of genital organs, and more than average height to determine if it is premature adrenarche. Treatment: Though premature adrenarche doesn’t cause serious health issues in children, it is best to schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor as early detection can help your child to cope up with the changes in their body. Your pediatrician might prescribe medications to slow down the progression of puberty, which has no effect on the adrenal hormones made by the child’s body (11). If PKU is not treated immediately, the child can develop intellectual disabilities. Untreated infants with PKU tend to develop a musty body odor caused due to the phenyl acetic acid in urine or sweat, along with other symptoms such as light eyes, skin, and hair color, poor feeding, abnormal muscle movements, tight muscles, involuntary movements or tremors (12). Treatment: As children with PKU have a high concentration of phenylalanine in their body, the doctor might put them on PKU diet as soon as possible after birth, which could reduce brain damage to a certain extent. The infant would be given a special infant formula and be prescribed a special diet to avoid high-protein foods such as milk, cheese, nuts, soybeans, chicken, beef, pork, fish, and peas. In addition to this, your doctor might also recommend some supplements which can help your child’s growth (13). Treatment: If the diagnosis reveals mild TMAU, your child’s doctor could put them on a diet restricting choline and lecithin. Gut sterilizing antibiotics may also be considered in some severe cases. If a genetic mutation is detected, then your doctor might prescribe supplements of riboflavin. The doctor may also prescribe the use of slightly acidic soaps and body lotions that can make the trimethylamine on the skin less volatile (14). Children with primary hyperhidrosis sweat excessively and constantly in certain areas, irrespective of the environmental temperature and emotional state. This worsens in warm climates and when under stress (15). Treatment: The treatment options vary from surgical to non-surgical. Your child’s doctor is the best person to determine what’s best based on how the condition is and how it affects the child. Non-surgical treatment methods include topical antiperspirant agents and oral medications that block the sweat glands. In some cases, a surgical procedure called thoracoscopic sympathectomy may be required (15). Disease gives the body a distinct smell, which enables medical professionals to identify the condition quickly and easily to start the necessary treatment. Abnormal body odor could be an important sign of an underlying condition, so it is advised that you consult with your pediatrician if you notice any of the above-mentioned changes along too in your children. Next, we will give you some general home care tips that can help you teach your child proper personal hygiene and cope with body odor.
Tips To Manage Body Odor In Children
Body odor in children can be managed to a certain extent. In addition to the treatment prescribed by the doctor, these tips could help your child cope with the condition.
Maintaining personal hygiene tops the list of things you can do to manage body odor. If your child is aged eight or less, teach them about hygiene and help them be clean. If you have a preteen, talk to him about the importance of hygiene.
Make your children wash their bodies, including the groin, armpits, and feet every day.
Make sure your child wears clean clothes every day. Discourage them from wearing the same trousers, jeans, or a skirt for more than a day.
Check if their clothes are clean and smell fresh. Sometimes, wet weather and moisture can make clothes smell musty even after they are washed. Dry the clothes under the sun and use a fabric conditioner to make clothes smell fresh.
Ensure that the child’s clothes and shoes are completely dry before they wear them.
Drinking plenty of water helps in eliminating toxins in the body and reduces the chances of body odor.
If your children drink cow milk, replace it with organic, soy, or almond milk. That can help at times, however, consult with your pediatrician before doing so.
Avoiding certain foods that cause body odor usually solves the problem.
Including aromatic herbs like sage and rosemary and increase the intake of green leafy vegetables. The chlorophyll in plants is a natural body cleanser.
If home care doesn’t help manage your child with body odor, then you can try out some of these well-known home remedies to manage body odor.
Home Remedies For Body Odor In Children
Some home remedies have been in use for mild and normal body odor. However, it should be noted that there is little scientific evidence to back the effectiveness of these home remedies. Also, it is advised to talk to your doctor before using them on your children. It should also be remembered that these remedies might only help in managing body odor and do not treat the underlying condition that is causing the odor.
It is believed that adding a few spoons of lemon juice to the child’s bathwater can keep the body dry, thereby preventing the growth of bacteria. You may try this if you think it would work for your child.
Alternatively, Some suggest diluting a spoonful of lemon juice with a cup of water and dabbing the child’s armpits with a cotton ball soaked in that liquid. Leave it for ten minutes and then wash it off with water. Do this once a day and see if it could reduce the intensity of body odor.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that adding two cups of tomato juice into your child’s bathtub and letting them soak in it for a few minutes can also help. You can also use the water for bathing.
Another popular home remedy is apple cider vinegar. Dab a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar on the armpits and other parts of the body a few minutes before giving your child a bath. However, talk to your doctor before trying this with the child.
Rosemary is said to have antifungal and antimicrobial properties and might help in getting rid of the bacteria on your child’s skin (17) You may consider boiling rosemary leaves in a cup of water and add that to your child’s bathwater. Let the child soak in the tub for at least 15 minutes, and then pat them dry. You can also add rosemary oil to the bathwater.
Sage contains ursolic and carnosic acids, which have antibacterial effects on the armpit bacteria (18). Hence, you can consider boiling a cup of dried sage leaves in water and adding that to your child’s bathwater. Or, you can create a natural deodorant by mixing sage oil, coriander oil, and lavender essential oil and let them use it every day.
Abnormal body odor in children can be worrisome and give rise to several fears, making the parents believe certain myths surrounding it.
Misconceptions About Body Odor In Children
There are many misconceptions about body odor. It is important to get your facts right to find the actual cause and get a permanent solution.
1. Deodorants can beat body odor in children
Deodorants can mask body odor caused due to hygiene issues and puberty. But if the body odor is caused due to other medical conditions, a deodorant will not help. Also, a study demonstrated that the use of antiperspirants early on could alter the armpit bacteria and make them species rich, although the effect of this on human health needs to be researched further (19).
2. You can eliminate body odor by showering daily
Some people bathe more than twice a day but still cannot get rid of the distinct smell emanating from their bodies. This is because body odor is not always caused due to poor hygiene. You cannot “wash away” the body odor caused due to an underlying condition that needs to be treated with medication.
3. Body odor is a physical problem
Body odor is not always a result of a physical condition. Genetics or mental conditions like anxiety, stress, and depression can also lead to excessive sweating and cause body odor. Body odor in children is usually a sign that they are growing up. But if personal hygiene tips and home remedies to keep odor at bay are not working, it is time to visit a doctor.
