The top of my kid's head is funky smelling. (clothes, activity, daughter)
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Yeah, I'm also thinking ringworm (Tinea Capitis). There are many OTC medicated shampoo's you could try, but if it's been going on for years, she probably needs medication too.
I have 2 wrestlers. Ringworm makes frequent appearances in our home. I recall a few years ago my son had it on his head and the doctor prescribed an oral anti fungal and a medicated shampoo. When my son had it it didn't smell, but that might just be because he has very short hair (#1 buzz cut short).
For ringworm on the body we usually use OTC athletes foot stuff (Lotrimin, Lamasil, Tinactin) and hydrocortisone cream and that usually takes care of it. My kids are really clean, they shower immediately after practice. My older son is also captain of the team and I have been told he is relentless about having clean mats, but wrestlers just seem to get ringworm no matter how clean they are.
no change in diet- no more garlic than the rest of the family. I'll try doctor- stretch I know but could braces on her teeth make her scalp smell?....that's the only think different in past year.
It's unlikely the braces. The most common allergy from braces is caused by the nickel, but that is a contact allergy, so her mouth would be affected, not her scalp.
She could have a fungal infection on her scalp. They can usually be treated by medicated shampoo. Kinda like ringworm (harmless) on the scalp. It's pretty common.
I am not a doctor but I bet it's a simple, fix.
I'm also betting it's a fungal problem. It can be fairly easy or nearly impossible to cure. It all depends on the cause of it. Some people suffer from chronic fungal infections because of immune system issues. There are some fungus medications today that are extremely effective but are also extremely toxic. I have had recurring fungal infections in my ears for over 15 years. I wear hearing aids and it creates a perfect environment for it. There is a cream called Lamasil that is really great at knocking that infection out really fast but unfortunitly it does not prevent it from coming back.
Can you see anything on her scalp--scaly skin or anything.
I vote for she is 9 and probably isn't doing that great of a job washing her hair completely in the shower because, well, she is 9--and very well could not be using shampoo at all in her hair, but telling you she is and is getting into puberty where all kids smell funky at one time or another. Try washing her hair in the sink for her, shampoo it twice then use the conditioner. If she still has that funky smell after that, look for other causes.
I also wanted to add that it could still be food even if her diet hasn't changed. If she is starting puberty, her body could react to the same foods she has always eaten in a different way. Something that was fine before now reacts to her new body chemistry.
She is 9, washes her hair in the shower, uses her fingertip to massage, rinses well and uses cream rinse which she rinses well too. She has no body odor at all but even right after a shampoo the top of her head is funky smelling.
Any suggestions about why and what we can do? This is not new at all, probably been going on for a few years if not longer. But now she reaches me right about chin level and when I go to kiss her head I really notice it and I'm concerned.
The top of her head is where she most likely applies her shampoo and conditioner. There may be a build up or residue of product. Possibly from not thoroughly rinsing.
Change your shampoo to something to strip product build up from the hair and scalp, and see how that works out.
Ringworm on the scalp is usually visible with hair loss.
]There is a cream called Lamasil that is really great at knocking that infection out really fast but unfortunitly it does not prevent it from coming back.
We always have Lamasil (or the generic equivalent) in the house. We have wrestlers and ringworm is pretty common.
My daughter is 9 and her head smells different than it did when she was a baby. It smells like unwashed hair, even when she's clean, like the smell of someone's old pillow. I've also noticed that her hair is a lot more oily than it used to be. I think it's something to do with puberty. We're using clarifying shampoo on it, applying conditioner only to the ends of the hair, and spraying a little bit of dry shampoo on the roots as soon as her hair is dry from the shower, then massaging it in with the fingertips until it's not visible.
My daughter is 9 and her head smells different than it did when she was a baby. It smells like unwashed hair, even when she's clean, like the smell of someone's old pillow. I've also noticed that her hair is a lot more oily than it used to be. I think it's something to do with puberty. We're using clarifying shampoo on it, applying conditioner only to the ends of the hair, and spraying a little bit of dry shampoo on the roots as soon as her hair is dry from the shower, then massaging it in with the fingertips until it's not visible.
At our last visit to the ped for my 3mo old, we were talking about how some kids get cradle cap and some don't and the docs aren't sure why. He did say that the kids who had cradle cap usually see a re-emergence of scalp oiliness and "funk" when they begin the hormonal shifts associated with puberty. I thought that was interesting and something I hadn't heard before.
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