Could it be early puberty???

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
There have been some strange things with Duckie lately, starting in April. First, her scalp became stinky, then dandruff started. Now she's had her second bout of underarm odor. I've heard of young girls starting puberty early, but I thought most had extra weight. Duckie is in something like the 80% for height & 30% for weight. She hasn't even lost one baby tooth yet at 6.5 years old!!!
How can this be possible? :hammer:
 

smallworld

Moderator
TM, my girls go to a pediatric endocrinologist because of short stature, and the endo said true puberty starts when there are buds and hair "down there" (didn't want to get censored). I've heard of little girls getting stinky, and it's not puberty yet. But if you're concerned, check in with your pediatrician.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
My son always got stinky...lol. He's just going through puberty now at almost 14. You can always take her in, but I think it's the hair and then the period. My 11 year old girl is in puberty, and she's changed quite a bit and has become very moody.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Thanks, sm. I think I will call the doctor because her growth pattern has always been unusual. Her back fontanel closed by 9 months, but the upper one was still open until just after her 3rd birthday. She was always tiny until this year, now she one of the tallest soon-to-be 1st graders. Like I said, she hasn't lost any baby teeth yet. She had a problem with her left breast being very tender this spring, but no buds. Ugh.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
TM,

I agree - don't worry that the underarm odor is a sign of impending puberty. difficult child had it in first grade! Took about four brands of deoderant before I found the one that was effective for him!!!!!

Budding and pubic hair are the premenstral signs for girls and, even at that, it could be a year or more before they begin to menstrate.

But, I would call the doctor to alieve your concerns.

Sharon
 

smallworld

Moderator
The teeth may not have much to do with it. A didn't lose her first tooth until age 7 and now has lost all of her baby teeth. At age 12, she has not yet started puberty (hence her height is 4 feet, 2 inches -- at the 0.5 percentile for girls her age). She does use deodorant -- LOL.

There are lots of blood tests that my girls underwent to determine whether their growth was normal. Perhaps your pediatrician will suggest running them on Duckie. Surprisingly, all the tests came back normal. My girls are just very tiny because of genetics.
 

AllStressedOut

New Member
My youngest difficult child just lost his first tooth and he turns 7 next week. He is also very small for his age. My 3 year old is within an inch of his height and they are 3 1/2 years apart. She also only weighs about 3 pounds less than he does. I wouldn't worry too much about underarm odor, my sons all have it and my friends daughters that are that age have it come and go too. I agree though, if you're worried, take her to the dr and let them look her over. I'm all for reassuring yourself when it comes to your kids health.
 

busywend

Well-Known Member
TM, it is my experience that all kinds of changes can cause changes in the odor of ones body. Including medications. I know Duckie has had food and medication changes recently - perhaps that is it?
 

ellenr1

New Member
My easy child got her first period last August, one month after turning 10. She was hairless and her chest flat as a Scrabble board, but the moodiness started very soon after that. She had cramps and was in tears about her body betraying her, she was most definitely not a happy camper and I felt so badly for her. I was surprised as well because she is thin and active, not on any medications.

Almost a year later, she is wearing a bra and getting pubic hair, completely backward from what I went through (and I was older).

A lot of little girls are getting their first periods at age 9 in our area. We live in a Northeastern suburb, no chemical plants around, no agriculture...I'm wondering if hormones in the meat we eat, or even more disgusting to contemplate, excreted hormones that wind up in our drinking water sources (I seem to recall reading a few years ago that wild fish caught in streams and ponds sometimes had high levels of estrogen and progesterone absorbed from the residue of birth control pills, etc. that go through the water treatment system unchanged) have something to do with it. Uggh.
 

Lothlorien

Active Member
My four year old needs deoderant!! He has really smelly pits! Missy hasn't needed it yet, but I had bought deoderant for when she did, but ended up using it on Mighty Mouse instead.

I needed deoderant at 6 1/2. For me and my kids, it's the Italian heritage. I had underarm hair at 8. By the age of 10, I needed a bra.
 

catwoman2

New Member
My difficult child just turned nine and I've had to shave her underarms for her (I won't let her use a razor yet) as well as buy deoderant for her. It's pretty scary to think that our children are maturing so much faster than most of us did. It does make you wonder what's going on though. They're too young to be dealing with that sort of thing already. :smile:
 
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