Early puberty or normal - 7yo boy? please help!

[magicmallow]

Hi, went to the dr as my 7.5 y/o has been sweating a bit (slightly damp armpits over the last 3 months - not just recently while it's v hot) and sometimes noticed him having a slight b/o smell on his armpits and also slightly greasy smell at the roots of his hair a day or two after hair wash (we tend to only wash hair twice a week but when he was younger I did not notice such a smell).

The dr said that bacteria growth can cause slight smells. He tried to look at DS testes to see if they are developing but couldn't properly check / find them (DS was laughing as it was tickling him which didn't help!). I'm not sure if they were retracted or something (sorry, female here and not sure how it all works exactly!) making it harder to check them.

Essentially the Dr sent us on our way and seemed to indicate he thought it was ok, despite not having successfully checked his testes to properly see. He said it's very rare to get precocious puberty.

There's no sign of pubic hair. DS has had a slight growth spurt.

Has anyone else been through any of these symptoms with their sons and should I be worried or seeking a second opinion?

I'm not sure how normal the light sweat / slight BO / growth spurt / slightly smelly hair is on a 7 y/o just a day or so after a bath (yes I could bath him daily I know but I am more concerned about if it's normal or not).

I don't want to miss out on getting relevant tests if this could be an issue, particularly as the dr was unable to check his testes properly.

FWIW I am not sure if I have noted a growth in his testes (!?) maybe slightly but I don't really know what to look for. Would puberty be blatantly obvious? He has no hair down there nor under arms.

Thanks, just a cautious parent wanting to make sure the dr hasn't overlooked anything! I am probably paranoid but would hate to make the wrong call here too late.

bump? thanks everyone!

My 7yo boy smells of B.O at the end of a hot day when he's been sweating and has started to get greasy hair. Recent growth spurt too.

Friends with kids of same age (male and female) have said their kids are similar.

We've suggested more showers than baths to him, increased hair wash days and bought him a foaming/mousse type body wash which is easier for him to lather than a regular shower gel to help him get used to really scrubbing his bits and pieces. It's the dove coconut one - smells delicious!

He's 8 next month

I took my DD to the docs age 6 because of BO. Doc said it was normal!

By the age of 9 and 3 months he had is first few pubic hairs (I couldn't believe it when he told me!)

Aged 10 and 3 months now and needing super strong deoderant, bathing every day (instead of 2-3 times a week), greasy hair if he doesn't wash it every day (used to be once a week), spots and size 7 feet.

He comes up to my chin (I'm tall for a woman) and his growth chart suggests he's going to be about 6'3" by the time he's finished growing. His Dad is 5'8".

Not DD. DS.

Your son needs to bathe every day, clearly. He might also need to start using deodorant.

It's fine OP. My ds, now 12, had slight BO smells from age 5! He still hasn't got body hair or a breaking voice. He uses regular deodorant now but until age 10 we gave him a crystal deodorant to use on wet skin straight after a shower. I think some children are unlucky with their natural skin fauna and require extra washing.

I started noticing a slight B.O on my DS when he was 9. No other signs of puberty.

It's fine. DD has the same at 8yo. Even if he had more puberty symptoms starting puberty at 7yo is medically within the normal range (I appreciate that socially and emotionally it does seem young, but it is not an indicator of a medical issue).

He needs a shower daily and a roll on deodorant.

thank you all for your very helpful responses. My main worry was that he should be tested for hormonal stuff, I did hear that if they go through puberty too young it can stunt their growth when they are older. Hopefully nothing more serious than bacterial growth and needing a roll on / extra showers.

If anyone has any hands on experience / advice on what actual puberty is like when boys go through it, and what to keep an eye out for it would be really helpful!

OP you need to relax a bit, your growing son smelt a bit and you took him to the doctors during a global pandemic and he had to endure the doctor trying to examine his ballbag?? Poor kid!! Give him a break, it is highly likely normal development. He will go through all sorts in the next few years and is likely to have massive body issues if you take him to the doc each time!
Best advice someone gave me as mum of a DS is always have a box of tissues and a closed bin in their room from a young age, then you never have to have that awkward conversation

I went through the same worries when DS started to get B.O when he was around 8. 6 months later and he had some light pubic hair. He’s 11 now and has quite a bit armpit and groin hair. It’s all perfectly normal, dr said the same when I asked them at 8. It does feel very early though, especially when he was younger-they’re just your little boys. Up the washing and get a deodorant for him.

And I’d ignore the previous poster. You absolutely did the right thing taking him for a quick check up.

Sorry pp is right, that was harsh of me OP, apologies. Am in a bad mood today but not your fault! Good luck with your boy x

My DD has a rare bone disease that may affect hormones so we were on the look out for early puberty. According to her doctors early puberty, as in medically worrying early puberty, is anything before 6yo. From 7yo onward it is considered within the normal range. Is there any other reason why you are so concerned about this OP?

@sandysmam, thank you for the apology. accepted :)

the doctors talked it through with me on the phone beforehand and they asked to see him, having me explained all the symptoms and BO smell etc. I absolutely would not have done this had I not been concerned and the doctors wouldn't have asked to see him had they thought it was a waste of time. They have a strict vetting process about appointments... so obviously thought it warranted an in person checkup...

hopefully all is ok.

@boobooswtwo Thanks - the reason I was concerned is the NHS website says age 9 in boys is the normal age to start puberty which is why, as he is just a 7 year old I was concerned.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/early-or-delayed-puberty/

There is no mention on that website of age 7 in boys being normal, although I know in girls it can happen earlier I believe? Maybe doctors widen this so called normal range a bit when discussing in appointments etc.

I know when I went through it with DS it’s just that it comes as a massive shock when your little 7 year old boy who holds your hand and plays with toys and is scared of the dark comes home smelling like your DH after a days hard graft. It’s not something that has even entered your mind, you’re expecting it in another 5 years time! Once you’ve done your research (which OP is obviously doing) you can start to relax about it.

I think the point OP is that your DS hasn’t started puberty yet. As I said my DS had B.O at a similar age and now at the age of 11 has some hairs but nothing more.

thank you Opoly54 - let's hope it stays as just a bit of a mild BO smell and nothing more puberty like over the coming months / years until it's the right time...!