She smells different

[Lightsonthebalcony]

I’ve noticed my 6 year old Dd smells different recently, especially her hair. I can’t really explain the smell, but it’s not pleasant, a sort of dry, strange smell, it’s even not long after washing it. It wasn’t like this before, does anyone know any reason for this?

Has she been poorly. I could always tell mine were ill or coming down with something by the way their smell changed.

I was also about to say could she be coming down with something, I can always tell when there's an illness coming both DDs have a strange smell

@gamerchick She has been on and off and I could always tell when she was little by the smell of her, but it wasn’t her hair-not like this anyway

@imadreamerr Is it hair too?

How is she otherwise?

Have you gone on or off the pill? Does anyone else smell different?

If no to all of that, she might be coming down with something.

My farts smell different and I don't know if it's due to my sense of smell or they smell different.

In the recent past I've had covid that altered my sense of smell for coffee and poo.

Could it just be sweat as it has been hot? When it's hot and my toddler has been wearing a hat he smells like black pepper. Or have you changed washing detergent , soap, shampoo?

I always know when my daughter is getting poorly as she smells different. Since she was tiny baby ive always known by her smell. Can sometimes smell it on other people too

It’s like a dry, not pleasant smell, not dirty exactly. I thought was maybe the heat and being in and out of pools, but even when using her lovely smelling shampoos/bubble baths it was the same a day or two later and didn’t have that lovely fresh clean smell when washed, it didn’t smell bad, just not of much

Nothing smells different to me aside from her hair, not been on the pill for years, definitely think it’s her hair not my sense of smell

My eldest has a smelly head. Head and shoulders and some conditioner tends to sort it

Could it be thrush?

Have you checked her hair for nits? My DS caught nits at primary school a few times and there was a distinct smell a day after washing for a little while until I saw the eggs drying his hair one night and realised what it was. Persistent buggers they were as well.

Is she spending time at another home? DS always smells a bit musty after Granny’s house. Especially his hair. I remember the same smell from my Grandad’s, when I was a kid.

Not at anyone’s house & no nits, she does itch her head a fair amount though, but also says lots of her body is itchy

@EsmeSusanOgg In her head? Sorry I don’t understand 🙈

So a day or two after washing her head, her head smells again? In summer? She's just sweaty and needs another hair wash.

You can get yeast infections pretty much anywhere if it can collect moisture/ get irritated. Including the scalp/ behind ears etc.

@EsmeSusanOgg Thank you, how do I check for this?

@MerryTraveller Its just a quite unpleasant smell, not a sweaty one

Change of washing powder ?

If she's itchy all over it might be worth a check up. It's probably something an antihistamine will fix though.

It could be a change due to age.

I've got three kids, the eldest is nine now but around 6-7 I noticed that he smelled different. Not bad though, just not the same. My two younger ones smell 'shampooey' for ages but he smells a bit more unwashed even when he's not long had his hair washed. I think it's an age thing, he didn't used to be like that.

What I find works is to leave get him to leave the shampoo on his head for a bit while he washes everything else and then rinse. Or shampoo twice. I think some kids just start to smell less nice as they get a bit older, but I think it's probably normal.