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533880 tn?1237612452

sugar and smelly vagina

I have a  2 1/2 year old that has been having a very smelly vagina. I tried everything from diet, meat, soap, milk, and anything others had suggested. I was wondering is it possible that sugar could (drinks, cereal, candy) be causing her to have a odor down there. I took her off of kool aid and hic and just put her on cran-grape and milk to drink and it seems to have taken away the odor. She does not say her "thingy" hurts anymore. Can someone shed some light on how sugar breaks down and could she possibly be having problems breaking down the sugar in her body?
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Avatar universal
Is it a sour smelling odor? I have noticed with my daughters as well as myself such an odor noticeable even through clothing. It comes after ingesting more than average amounts of carbohydrates, breads, pastries, and basically anything that can be converted to sugar or sugar itself. I noticed that if I cut down on the sugar and eat right smell goes away within a day or two. I am 98% certain it is a result of yeast feeding on the sugar we consume. Beware: if you do not get a handle on it quick, it is very difficult to curtail because the more  yeast  you have in you, the more your appetite for sugar increases.  Best to nip it in the bud. All things in moderation!
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13167 tn?1327194124
Form all the responses,  it does sound like yeast overgrowth was the cause of the itchiness and odor.

Yeast isn't a bacteria - it's kind of the "opposite" of a bacteria.  In the vaginal canal,  yeast and bacteria live in constant battle,  each keeping the other in check.  If you wipe out bacteria with an antibiotic,  the yeast thrive and take over.  They feed on sugar,  and sugary drinks like you mentioned make the problem way worse.

I would take her off all juices,  too,  they're not better in the sugar department than koolaid and HiC.    Unless you're buying the very expensive 100% natural squeezed fruit juice,  you're getting mostly processed sugar.  Even very natural fresh squeezed fruit juices are very high in fruit sugar,  and that causes yeast to thrive.

In the meantime,  give her water to drink and greatly limit sweets until the problem is gone.

Helpful - 0
2206351 tn?1338905710
This is so weird, I have ben searching the internet for an answer about my 2 yr old niece. We are having THE SAME concern and I was really worried. My sister JUST left the Dr. office and as you've already said: "No infection, no problem," but NO real answer. The odor is most noticeable during Pull-Up changes. My sister is very much a germ-phob and keeps the baby pretty clean. We have basically taken to giving her baths everynight to control the odor. That has worked for us so far. I cannot believe that so many female children are having this issue and noone has been able to give us answers for our babies.

The baby also suffers from allergies and constipation. I thought it might be related to her ingesting so much medications, but I did not see any mention of that in your story of in the stories of other concerned parents/family memebrs.

Anyway, THANK YOU for sharing. I will continue to search for an answer and I hope you find one too. This is an odd and troublesome issue.
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533880 tn?1237612452
She has had the the urinalysis, they tested her white blood count ( i think that is the one that tells if there is infection), she does not have a yeast infection. The order was so strong before that you could smell it even if she had on clothes, now it is not that bad just a little bit of an odor. I don't want to put it on the back burner just becasue it is less smelly I wan to find out what is the matter to try to treat it so it does not come back. It never itches but it is always red and has bumps on the outside of the lips. Thanks for all the comments. I am going to try to take her to the doc Monday.  
Helpful - 0
603946 tn?1333941839
my only other thought is I am glad you are on top of it-

BTW I do not always have discharge with yeast overgrowth - I have had several of them, I mean severl a YEAR- but I know the other symptoms and when I treat for yeast the other symptoms go away and that is usually itching and a feeling like there are tiny cuts or the way I describe to my gyn is feels like there are little sticker burrs in my panties-  and he says there is no discharge but still treats it and it goes totally away- also the oral Diflucan wroks on yeast in the gut, kidney, and vagina----but I am SURE she is way too young for Diflucan, as it is hard on the liver and since you said  a culture were done it would show yeast- actually they can even get a reading from  urinalysis...
so we are back down to your original thought of cutting sugar and I think you can find on the net that yeast loves to hang on to sugar- and the regular hard core cranberry juice has no sugar, and should be diluted....

the breakdown of sugars and glucose and all those chemical questions? Someone with real brains will have to tackle that question-

you said there is no more odor and no more discomfort but the odor is back or it is just not a strong or it comes and goes?
You are such a good mom to work on this-bless your heart.....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
To babygirl, I actually hate yogurt but my boys would eat it 24/7 if I would let them. The doc said to let em eat as much as they want. I usually giv my oldest 2 a day. I love cottage cheese.

That is weird that your doc told you no cranberry. I dont know if its bad I never drink it.

I went to a site online to try to find things out about and that was about the only thing that it mentioned to help. It also said it could be the foods you eat. Does she still where a diaper. She could just be sweating alot. I dont have girls so I dont really know if this is a normal thing. My boys drink this koolaid drink and it only has 8 grams of sugar dont know if they have it where you live but it is really cheap.

They took my sons adnoids to and it is not working, we think his is allergies and he is being tested to see he goes next week.

Have you asked the doctor I know you said they did test but did they test for a bacteria infection( I know in adults there is not alot of symptoms with it)
Im out of ideas except keep letting her eat the yogurt 2-3 times. I know there is something over the counter and safe for toddlers it keeps their immune system up I had to giv it to my oldest when he was on antibiotics, he got bad rash, it is about 20-30 dollars and you just sprinkle it in their food.( I cant think of the name of it I will try and remember) It puts the good bacteria back and it mite be what baby girl is talking about. Its in a green box and the are capsules.
Helpful - 0
533880 tn?1237612452
My baby was the same way, she had to have her first set of tubes in at 7 months old and then again before she turned two and her adenoids were removed this time. She only had on yeast infection when she was little. But this is not a yeast infection there is no drainage she is not complaining about it burning it just stinks. The cranberry grape juice that I give her has 3x's the sugar than the hic orange drink that I use to give her. She will not drink the regular cranberry juice she makes funny faces. This has been going on for several months now. It is not her urine because if I give her a shower or bath after a few minutes it will start ti stink again. Any ideas? I have had all labs come back negative.....still dazed.  
Helpful - 0
603946 tn?1333941839
My boys loved yogurt too and my husband and I both have never tasted it ---
have you ever tried it? It  just looks---- ummmm- and smells- but you know what I like cottage cheese and lots of people won't look at it!


kind of off topic here but speaking of cranberry juice and all that- my urologist said not to ever drink it if I was already hurting as the acid would burn me or irritate me more....ok even more off topic- for uti's I have been symptom FREEEEE for months since I started taking every morning Solaray D-Mannose with cranactin-
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Avatar universal
I am pretty sure they cant have to much yogurt. My son stayed on antibiotics so He ate it atleast twice a day everyday and still does 2 yrs later. I have notice also that it is very rare for him to get sick. I looked this up and there werent many answers as to why on that was mentioned was the urine and mistaking fowl urine smell for vagina odor. It said to wipe with wipe several times a day and cranberry juice is a good remedy to get rid of smell. I dont know the full details of this but I was told if you drink alot of pop or sugar drinks that it can cause yeast infections. (I guess the urine is alot more potent, verses drinking water)
Helpful - 0
603946 tn?1333941839
I agree- I would be concerned  too, just wanted to mention that this supplement IS what is in the yogurt- live lactobacillus probiotics just not sure if it would be too strong or if anyone knows if you can get too much probiotics???

http://www.yoplait.com/health_cultures.aspx

glad you said she is doing better though- no more itchies- and it will EVENTUALLY clear on it's own I think- my son even had the thrush in the mouth- all those antibiotics for ear infections- don't think I am lying but counting both ears, check ups included he had 27 ear infections by the time he was 8 months old. Nothing would make it go away and a nurse friend told me to swab the tiniest but of vinegar on the spots right after milk bottles. Cured it in just a few days.

hugs to your sweet baby.....
Helpful - 0
533880 tn?1237612452
No offense taken...lol. I was in a hurry when I answered that sorry!!! She does eat yogurt the scooby do kinda..lol. But not everyday, I was told it she has a yeast infection that you can help it with yogurt, replacing a good for a bad bacteria. No soap in bath water, no new soap, nothing I can think of. Don't want to try something like vitamins unless I know what the problem is, kind of scared to try things with her being so little.  
Helpful - 0
603946 tn?1333941839
I am not trying to making you sound ignorant at all please if you already knew all this I apologize to you- I just am not sure if you have ever had yeast overgrowth? Some women never get it, so they are not familiar- so it could be that and yes even after the yeast (do a search on vaginal candida after antibiotics) starts to thrive from the overgrowth after that there will be a period of time I have heard it likes to live on starches and especially refined sugar.... You can try chewable lactobacillus acidophilus from GNC- if she can chew those it will help her gut too and it also may be in her rectum/ may not be ok for a 2 1/2 yr old though so check that out first with the pediatrician----- OR
is there a possibility the smell might be from her urine? I think I read somewhere that females urine smells a bit different after they eat live culture yogurt, like Activia- but that would just be a strange odor and not one to worry about- it would be healthy to have that different smell maybe/ I just have bits and pieces of info on this - maybe someone can fill in the blanks....

if she is prone to these- no bubble baths, sensitive skin soap only, like dove or ivory, a few tsp of baking soda in with the bath water, and then rinse her private area with fresh water after the bath water is drained
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533880 tn?1237612452
yes
Helpful - 0
603946 tn?1333941839
has she been on antibiotics?
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