Sexuality Education for Persons with Developmental Disabilities: A Toolkit for Professionals and Parents: Puberty

Changes in Perspiration and Body Odor: An Activity for Educators

From: Changes in You, The Curriculum, by Peggy Siegel, M.S.

Objective:
Students will

• Recognize that the body perspires more and produces a stronger odor starting in puberty.
• Understand the need for showering and using a deodorant on a daily basis.
• Describe the effects of personal hygiene on interpersonal relationships and one’s self-concept.

Vocabulary:

Deodorant
Perspiration-sweat
Body odor (Slang: B.O.)
Underarm area
Private places
Dental floss
Bad breath
Mouthwash

Materials:

Picture Card #4 (girls) or #8 (boys) from curriculum
Picture of dental floss, various deodorants and a girl/boy brushing her/his teeth.
Samples of different kinds of deodorants (stick, roll-on, non-aerosol pump spray, etc); samples of toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, and mouthwash

Procedure:

• Another change is that the body will perspire (sweat) more. The body will also smell differently and the smell will be stronger. To keep the body smelling nice, a girl/boy needs to wash the underarm area and use deodorant every day. There are several types of deodorants, such as roll-ons and sticks. People talk about deodorant in public, but everyone puts on their deodorant in a private place like a bathroom or a bedroom.

• Bad breath can also be a problem. Adolescents need to brush and floss their teeth and use mouthwash every day. This will keep a girl’s/boy’s teeth and gums healthy and her breath smelling good.

Other discussion questions:

• How do you think a girl/boy might know when she needs to start putting on deodorant? (She/he will notice that she/he has a strong body odor even when she/he has taken a shower that day.)
• Where does a person buy deodorant? (Accept any appropriate store)
• How often does a person put on deodorant? (Every morning)
• Is it ever necessary to put on deodorant twice in one day? (Yes, if a girl/boy exercises or works and perspires a lot she/he may need to take a shower and then put on deodorant again.)
• Have you ever been near someone with a strong body odor? Did it make you want to be close to them or far away? (Help students recognize the social implications of poor hygiene.)
• Show students various types of deodorant containers. Allow students to smell each deodorant and pick which one smells the best to them.
• Demonstrate how to roll or spread on deodorant by doing so on the back of your hand or on a piece of paper. (NOTE: Aerosol spray deodorant is not recommended in this program because students can hurt themselves if they accidentally spray it in their faces. Also, aerosol spray deodorant is considered harmful to the environment.)
• If bathroom or locker facilities are available, have students actually bring a deodorant from home and have them practice putting it on. Students specifically need to learn how much to put on and how to cover the whole underarm area.
• Suggestion: Some teachers like to keep non-aerosol pump spray deodorant in their classroom for students who forget to put on their deodorant before school or who really need it after PE or recess. This is especially helpful when students first start needing to use deodorant. Students should be praised for noticing on their own that they need deodorant.
• Additional Information: Explain that students will also notice increased perspiration on their hands and feet. And just as exercise can cause perspiration, it’s also normal to perspire more when they are nervous or under stress.
• Demonstrate/review proper dental hygiene using sample tooth brushes, toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwash. Have students practice in school. Discuss social implications of having nice smelling breath vs. bad breath.