Body odor is often considered a problem that comes with puberty and adulthood, but it is possible for young children and toddlers to experience body odor for a variety of reasons. In order to treat body odor in your toddler effectively, the cause must be determined.
Common Cause
Toddlers are growing into more adult proportions, typically causing them to have a short neck and a lot of body fat. It is common for sweat or dirt to become trapped in your toddler's neck or in the folds of her skin, causing an unpleasant body odor.
Hyperhydrosis
If your toddler has frequent and persistent body odor, he might have a condition that causes his body to produce more sweat than normal. This condition is called hyperhydrosis. According to Robert Needlman, M.D., hyperhydrosis can develop as early as infancy and continue throughout childhood.
Precocious Puberty
On average, puberty occurs between 10 and 12 years of age. For a child with precocious puberty, it begins before age 7 for girls and 9 for boys. In addition to body odor, other symptoms can include breast development, pubic hair growth, rapid height growth and acne. Precocious puberty can be caused by a structural problem in the brain that affects hormone production and can be emotionally and socially difficult for an older toddler.
Treatment
If your toddler simply has sweat or dirt trapped on her body, a bath should solve the problem. For persistent body odor, your child's doctor might do some testing to find the underlying cause. If your child has hyperhydrosis, daily baths and gentle underarm deodorant can get rid of body odor. In other cases, your toddler might need medication to regulate her hormones.
Warning
Some body odor scents can be a problem and can indicate that your toddler's body is not able to process certain chemicals. These odors include the smell of chlorine or cabbage coming from your child's body, and can indicate conditions such as hawkinsinuria or methionine malabsorption. If you are concerned about your toddler's body odor, talk to his doctor.
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