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Original poster

Worried - please take me down!

35 replies

Plicket · 27/07/2022 10:14

My 7 year old has for a couple of days been saying he can smell smoke - there is no smoke anywhere (I have a really sensitive sense of smell myself). I'm really worried as I'm sure in adults smelling things that aren't there can be a sign of serious things. Am waiting for a GP callback but has anyone else's child had this? It seems to be common in adults but not children. He hasn't stuck anything up his nose and he hasn't got a cold or had a cold recently. Seems fine otherwise.

OP posts:
Moonflower12 · 27/07/2022 15:03

Ghosts?

MaryB90 · 27/07/2022 15:13

I think you're overreacting taking him to GP because he can smell something you can't. Some people's senses are more sensitive that others for example womens sense of smell can become more sensitive during pregnancy. Even if you Google 'smelling things that aren't there' it says it's nothing sinister, so what's made you think it might be? Genuine question as I'm really curious what you might think it is? Covid can change a person's sense of smell too. I have health anxiety and this would not concern me one bit 🤔🤔

sanityisamyth · 27/07/2022 15:13

Electrical fault or overheating wires anywhere?

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Original poster
Plicket · 27/07/2022 17:06

Genuine question as I'm really curious what you might think it is? Covid can change a person's sense of smell too.

Biggest concern with anything like this for me is a brain tumour - my cousin died of one as a young child and his initial symptoms were not "head" related iyswim.

Phantosmia in an adult can be a symptom of a brain tumour.

OP posts:
Rwealere · 27/07/2022 19:30

I thought you might be worrying about this as I saw it once in a tv drama too. I’m terrible for checking if others can smell what I can at times but know I hav3 a strong sense of smell. I would have tried various smells for him to comment on like fruits or drinks in a casual way but the fact he couldn’t smell it when you were out makes me winder if he got a lingering whiff of something from a plastic toy or outside which lingered about the room so he could still smell it. Hope all is well.

Original poster
Plicket · 27/07/2022 19:45

I did get him to smell other things - lemons, squash etc - and he could smell all of them. No idea where the smoke has come from as its pretty odd he is saying it is only at home.

OP posts:
AbreathofFrenchair · 27/07/2022 19:48

Plicket · 27/07/2022 10:21

Yes he says it smells like smoke - like old smoke. He smelt it in our garden but then also in our bedroom and in his room which are miles away from the garden. I can't smell a single thing and nor can DH.

How big is your garden that the house is miles away?!

He could have a cold or be getting over a cold you didn't know he had?

Toosadtocomprehend · 27/07/2022 19:48

After Covid I definitely could smell bonfire smoke in really random places . It lasted for about 18 months !

girlmom21 · 27/07/2022 20:04

Sometimes smells stick in your nose. Maybe someone was having a bonfire and he can still smell it.

Has he washed his hair in the past couple of days or has he been wearing a hat or coat he was wearing the first time he smelt it?

Original poster
Plicket · 27/07/2022 20:59

How big is your garden that the house is miles away?

It's not but it's a very tall thin town house and his bedroom and mine are on the fourth floor.

Trust me there was no actual smell. If there was I'd have smelt it.

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