Helping parents understand causes of body odor in children and how to address it.
Transcription:
Joey Wahler (Host): If a child has body odor, naturally, it can be embarrassing. So, we're discussing how to address and treat that. Our guest, Dr. Tawnya Pleasant, she's a pediatrician at Kentucky Children's Hospital.
Host: This is UK HealthCast, a podcast from UK HealthCare. Thanks for listening. I'm Joey Wahler. Hi, Dr. Pleasant. Thanks for joining us.
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Hello. How are you?
Host: I'm good. How are you doing?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: I'm doing great.
Host: Excellent. So first to get us started, from your experience, just how common is body odor in children?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Body odor is very common in children, particularly at the beginning of puberty.
Host: And so at what age, and I know that puberty hits us all at different ages, but at what age, generally speaking, would you say that the child and their parents need to be mindful of this?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, body odor may become more noticeable once your child starts puberty. And the average age for girls to start puberty is around 11. While for boys, the average age is closer to 12. But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of eight to 13 in girls and nine to 14 in boys. That's because it's around that time our adrenal glands secrete hormones that act on the apocrine glands, which secrete sweat.
Host: And along with that, obviously, along comes the responsibility of making sure that there's no body odor, which along with some of these other changes is something new. How do kids, would you suggest, adjust to that when it first comes along?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, things that children can do with the help of their parents are six common things I try to suggest. First and foremost is to keep yourself squeaky clean. Shower at least once a day, and you'll wash away sweat as well as rid the body from the bacteria that naturally resides on the skin surface. Interestingly, sweat by itself is basically odorless. So when it mixes with the bacteria that lives on our skin, they can multiply quickly and cause a little bit of a stink.
Number two, use soap. Wash thoroughly with soap to rid your skin of the bacteria, which would further help with the odor. Number three, towel off after you shower daily, paying as close attention to the areas where you may sweat a lot. Number four, antiperspirant. Once you're clean and dry, use the antiperspirant on your underarms. And this chemical will help keep sweat at bay.
Number five, keep your clothes clean. Change clothes once you're sweating heavily. Fresh clothes help keep body odor down. Be sure to change your socks as well, especially if you tend to have foot odor. And then, number six, cut back on certain foods and drinks. What you eat affects your body odor. Foods that tend to make you sweat more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods may lead to body odor. Certain foods like onions and garlic also tend to be carried in your sweat.
Host: In contrast, is there anything diet-wise that can be done to maintain good body odor or lack of bad body odor?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes. So, certain foods you eat can sometimes cause a sudden or temporary change in body odor. For instance, many people experience a sudden strong smell in their urine after eating asparagus. The smell will go away once the food is metabolized unless it's eaten daily. As I previously mentioned, certain foods like onions and garlic tend to be secreted in your sweat, which can exacerbate body odor.
Certain foods also can cause you to produce more gas, which may lead to belching or flatulence. Depending on the food you eat and how much gas you produce, this can create a foul smell. So, foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, these foods tend to lead to smelly gas. So if you know you have a food intolerance or sensitivity, the foods that you are sensitive to can cause extra gas, which overall diet can affect both body odors.
So, there's some research that actually found that males who had a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables have better smelling sweat no matter how much they sweat. On the other hand, there were some self-report such as a high carb diet intake was associated with a less pleasant-smelling sweat. There's also some research that suggests high meat consumption can have a negative effect on body odor compared to a plant-based diet.
Host: So, another reason right there, doc, to eat those fruits and vegetables, right?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes, correct.
Host: It's interesting, you also mentioned the part about sweat not having an odor, but the odor coming from sweat mixing with bacteria on your body kind of reminds me of how the common thinking is that people allergic to cats are allergic to their fur when it's actually the saliva on their fur from licking themselves that causes it. So, it's kind of a similar misconception that people have. They think sweating makes you stink, but you say not in and of itself, right?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Correct. So, a little basics in anatomy and physiology. So we humans, we have three types of sweat glands. We have apocrine, eccrine and sebaceous glands. And body odor is primarily caused by the apocrine sweat glands that become activated during puberty. So, these sweat glands tend to develop in hairy regions such as the armpits, genitals, and scalp, where they secrete an oily fluid composed of protein, lipids, and steroids, which is actually odorless. But sweat only develops an odor when it mixes with bacteria that exists on our skin. The bacteria metabolize the secretions, and that's what secretes and produces the malodorous byproducts of body odor. So in humans, certain areas of our bodies act as a perfect hotspot for these bacteria to thrive. So as your child approaches puberty, hormones will become active and stimulate the sweat glands to secrete sweat that is particularly prominent in the underarms and groin region. So, that increase in perspiration combines with the natural bacteria that lives on our skin creating the odor. To be clear, we all have bacteria on our skin. So, a person who bathes daily, it's typically not a hygiene issue.
Host: Gotcha. A couple of other things. Are there any medical conditions in children that can cause body odor?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes. There are five medical conditions that can contribute to body odor. Number one, diabetes. If a person has poorly controlled diabetes, ketones can develop in the blood that can result in a possible fruity smell. Number two, overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. Overactive thyroid can cause body odor due to the production of excessive sweat. Number three, liver disease. In the case of severe liver disease, a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in the urine can occur. It is caused by the excretion of two chemicals that result in an excess of something called methionine. Number four, kidney disease. Kidney dysfunction can also lead to high levels of bacteria and protein in the urine, which can contribute to the smell of ammonia. And number five are infections. Some common skin bacteria produce body odor when mixed with the sweat, which is called the corynebacterium, staphyloccus, and something called cutibacterium, and those bacteria reside on our skin.
Host: And so in summary, how would you say parents can best discuss body odor with their child if it arises without embarrassing them?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, the good method is actually to begin to talk about puberty first. Children should feel comfortable discussing all aspects of puberty, including the physical, emotional, and mental changes that often occur. If you begin the conversation about body odor at a younger age, you will lessen the stigma and increase your child's comfort level surrounding the topic once it begins in their lives. Don't make a speech about this being a new thing.
As parents, we can share with our children when we notice we are stinky. So, I often suggest beginning with something like this scenario. So for example, if you come in from exercising or working outside on a hot summer day, say to your child, "Oh, I can tell I'm really smelly. I'm going to take a shower to get rid of the smell." Point is that you discuss hygiene as a normal part of adult life. Pre-teens absorb this lesson. If we notice our kids are smelly, we can say it in a non-judgmental way, such as, "I can smell your sweat a little bit. You want to go take a shower?" Starting with this simple conversation can help transition to puberty with less worry.
Host: Great advice indeed. Well, folks, we trust you are now more familiar with addressing body odor in children. Dr. Tawnya Pleasant, thanks so much again.
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Thank you for having me.
Host: And for more information on caring for kids, please visit the Kentucky Children's Hospital website at ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kentucky-children-hospital. Now, if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media. And thanks again for listening to UK HealthCast, a podcast from UK HealthCare. Hoping your health is good health, I'm Joey Wahler.
Joey Wahler (Host): If a child has body odor, naturally, it can be embarrassing. So, we're discussing how to address and treat that. Our guest, Dr. Tawnya Pleasant, she's a pediatrician at Kentucky Children's Hospital.
Host: This is UK HealthCast, a podcast from UK HealthCare. Thanks for listening. I'm Joey Wahler. Hi, Dr. Pleasant. Thanks for joining us.
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Hello. How are you?
Host: I'm good. How are you doing?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: I'm doing great.
Host: Excellent. So first to get us started, from your experience, just how common is body odor in children?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Body odor is very common in children, particularly at the beginning of puberty.
Host: And so at what age, and I know that puberty hits us all at different ages, but at what age, generally speaking, would you say that the child and their parents need to be mindful of this?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, body odor may become more noticeable once your child starts puberty. And the average age for girls to start puberty is around 11. While for boys, the average age is closer to 12. But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of eight to 13 in girls and nine to 14 in boys. That's because it's around that time our adrenal glands secrete hormones that act on the apocrine glands, which secrete sweat.
Host: And along with that, obviously, along comes the responsibility of making sure that there's no body odor, which along with some of these other changes is something new. How do kids, would you suggest, adjust to that when it first comes along?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, things that children can do with the help of their parents are six common things I try to suggest. First and foremost is to keep yourself squeaky clean. Shower at least once a day, and you'll wash away sweat as well as rid the body from the bacteria that naturally resides on the skin surface. Interestingly, sweat by itself is basically odorless. So when it mixes with the bacteria that lives on our skin, they can multiply quickly and cause a little bit of a stink.
Number two, use soap. Wash thoroughly with soap to rid your skin of the bacteria, which would further help with the odor. Number three, towel off after you shower daily, paying as close attention to the areas where you may sweat a lot. Number four, antiperspirant. Once you're clean and dry, use the antiperspirant on your underarms. And this chemical will help keep sweat at bay.
Number five, keep your clothes clean. Change clothes once you're sweating heavily. Fresh clothes help keep body odor down. Be sure to change your socks as well, especially if you tend to have foot odor. And then, number six, cut back on certain foods and drinks. What you eat affects your body odor. Foods that tend to make you sweat more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods may lead to body odor. Certain foods like onions and garlic also tend to be carried in your sweat.
Host: In contrast, is there anything diet-wise that can be done to maintain good body odor or lack of bad body odor?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes. So, certain foods you eat can sometimes cause a sudden or temporary change in body odor. For instance, many people experience a sudden strong smell in their urine after eating asparagus. The smell will go away once the food is metabolized unless it's eaten daily. As I previously mentioned, certain foods like onions and garlic tend to be secreted in your sweat, which can exacerbate body odor.
Certain foods also can cause you to produce more gas, which may lead to belching or flatulence. Depending on the food you eat and how much gas you produce, this can create a foul smell. So, foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus, these foods tend to lead to smelly gas. So if you know you have a food intolerance or sensitivity, the foods that you are sensitive to can cause extra gas, which overall diet can affect both body odors.
So, there's some research that actually found that males who had a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables have better smelling sweat no matter how much they sweat. On the other hand, there were some self-report such as a high carb diet intake was associated with a less pleasant-smelling sweat. There's also some research that suggests high meat consumption can have a negative effect on body odor compared to a plant-based diet.
Host: So, another reason right there, doc, to eat those fruits and vegetables, right?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes, correct.
Host: It's interesting, you also mentioned the part about sweat not having an odor, but the odor coming from sweat mixing with bacteria on your body kind of reminds me of how the common thinking is that people allergic to cats are allergic to their fur when it's actually the saliva on their fur from licking themselves that causes it. So, it's kind of a similar misconception that people have. They think sweating makes you stink, but you say not in and of itself, right?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Correct. So, a little basics in anatomy and physiology. So we humans, we have three types of sweat glands. We have apocrine, eccrine and sebaceous glands. And body odor is primarily caused by the apocrine sweat glands that become activated during puberty. So, these sweat glands tend to develop in hairy regions such as the armpits, genitals, and scalp, where they secrete an oily fluid composed of protein, lipids, and steroids, which is actually odorless. But sweat only develops an odor when it mixes with bacteria that exists on our skin. The bacteria metabolize the secretions, and that's what secretes and produces the malodorous byproducts of body odor. So in humans, certain areas of our bodies act as a perfect hotspot for these bacteria to thrive. So as your child approaches puberty, hormones will become active and stimulate the sweat glands to secrete sweat that is particularly prominent in the underarms and groin region. So, that increase in perspiration combines with the natural bacteria that lives on our skin creating the odor. To be clear, we all have bacteria on our skin. So, a person who bathes daily, it's typically not a hygiene issue.
Host: Gotcha. A couple of other things. Are there any medical conditions in children that can cause body odor?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Yes. There are five medical conditions that can contribute to body odor. Number one, diabetes. If a person has poorly controlled diabetes, ketones can develop in the blood that can result in a possible fruity smell. Number two, overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. Overactive thyroid can cause body odor due to the production of excessive sweat. Number three, liver disease. In the case of severe liver disease, a sweet and musty smell both on the breath and in the urine can occur. It is caused by the excretion of two chemicals that result in an excess of something called methionine. Number four, kidney disease. Kidney dysfunction can also lead to high levels of bacteria and protein in the urine, which can contribute to the smell of ammonia. And number five are infections. Some common skin bacteria produce body odor when mixed with the sweat, which is called the corynebacterium, staphyloccus, and something called cutibacterium, and those bacteria reside on our skin.
Host: And so in summary, how would you say parents can best discuss body odor with their child if it arises without embarrassing them?
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: So, the good method is actually to begin to talk about puberty first. Children should feel comfortable discussing all aspects of puberty, including the physical, emotional, and mental changes that often occur. If you begin the conversation about body odor at a younger age, you will lessen the stigma and increase your child's comfort level surrounding the topic once it begins in their lives. Don't make a speech about this being a new thing.
As parents, we can share with our children when we notice we are stinky. So, I often suggest beginning with something like this scenario. So for example, if you come in from exercising or working outside on a hot summer day, say to your child, "Oh, I can tell I'm really smelly. I'm going to take a shower to get rid of the smell." Point is that you discuss hygiene as a normal part of adult life. Pre-teens absorb this lesson. If we notice our kids are smelly, we can say it in a non-judgmental way, such as, "I can smell your sweat a little bit. You want to go take a shower?" Starting with this simple conversation can help transition to puberty with less worry.
Host: Great advice indeed. Well, folks, we trust you are now more familiar with addressing body odor in children. Dr. Tawnya Pleasant, thanks so much again.
Dr Latawnya Pleasant: Thank you for having me.
Host: And for more information on caring for kids, please visit the Kentucky Children's Hospital website at ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kentucky-children-hospital. Now, if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social media. And thanks again for listening to UK HealthCast, a podcast from UK HealthCare. Hoping your health is good health, I'm Joey Wahler.
