body odor and underarm hair of 8y/o son

My 8 1/2 y/o son has been prone to body odor since he was abt 3 and as he has gotten older, his odor has become more intense and offensive. He uses deodorant and washes every day. I recently noticed that he has hair growing under his armpits and am concerned that he is going through puberty early. Is this a possibility? What should we do if this is precocious puberty?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Yes, it is possible, and there's really not much to do by way of intervention. Be sure to talk about this with your son's pediatrician. The pediatrician can diagnose what is occurring and, if he suspects any problem, can order appropriate studies - e.g., endocrine.

[zizy]

A related discussion, my seven yr old was started.