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One of the things virtually nobody ever wants to talk about is the matter of Body Odour (BO) in young children.

However, our Nollamara childcare provision believes everything should be discussed where children’s care is concerned – including what might be politely termed “whiffy tendencies”!

What causes BO?

In children and teenagers, in the vast majority of cases, body odour arises due to a combination of sweating and bacterial action. The sweat is broken down by bacteria until some trace and odorous chemicals are left.
In a very few and fortunately rare cases, body odour in younger children can also be a symptom of:

• other illnesses, including some liver or kidney diseases;
• premature puberty;
• poor overall nutrition (rare in developed countries);
• unbalanced nutrition – in Australia, this is much more commonplace than actual food shortages and usually indicates too much unhealthy food is being consumed and too little that’s good for the body;
• unusual hormonal patterns – this is more typically seen in the immediate runup to and during puberty;
• poor hygiene practices.

At what age does BO start?

There is no definitive rule here. All toddler and preschool children at any age can cause a slightly wrinkled nose in others, usually if they’ve been running around for too long and have become very sweaty as a consequence. Mostly though, that’s a very different smell and one that’s more associated with younger kids – and it’s also often regarded by most as being more childish and therefore less ‘challenging’ in nature.

Ignoring medical and other secondary causes, most medical opinion is that body odour can start to become more noticeable and an issue from around the age of 4-6 onwards.

That’s because the glands that produce sweat begin to become more active at those ages, as the child’s body starts to prepare for puberty. Some children as young as 5 may start to exhibit body odour of a type that most people would find to be similar to that of an adult although that transition in the nature of the smell is more commonly encountered during or post-puberty.

Body odour in younger people typically peaks in the teenage years as the sweat glands and hormone production start to reach their maximum capacity. During puberty and particularly the teenage years, it can be difficult to precisely attribute BO to one cause or another. For example, it’s in the teenage years that parents typically stop being entirely responsible for their children’s personal hygiene and as a result, standards there may start to deteriorate.

The prevention of BO

No two children are the same. Two children may have broadly similar hygiene practices, exercise levels and so on, yet they’ll generate entirely different body odours. So, it’s impossible to be specific about causes and therefore preventative measures.

Most childcare provision specialists, pharmacists and doctors will typically suggest that a good start point is to review the child’s hygiene. It may be that some children might need to be given a wash down or shower a few times a day if their sweat and/or bacteria levels are unusually active for their age. Sometimes, a parental review of the child’s WC practices might also be necessary.

It’s also advisable to conduct an honest review of the child’s diet, which may need to be adjusted to increase fruit and vegetable levels whilst reducing at the same time, sugars and harmful fats. This may take a week or so to have any obvious effect.

The subject of deodorants and anti-perspirants for younger children is controversial. It’s worth checking with your doctor or pharmacist for current advice but typically, deodorants are regarded as safe for younger children, providing one that’s suitable for younger ages is selected and roll-on types are easier and safer for kids to use than sprays. Most advice also suggests anti-perspirants should be restricted to children who have already started puberty but again, opinion there isn’t consistent.

Finally, if your child is young (under the age of about 6) and is showing consistent unusual body odours even though hygiene is sufficient, you should consult a doctor. It may be that they have a medical condition of the types mentioned above.