My three-year-old son has this God-awful smell coming from his face. What could it be? What kind of doctor do I take him to? It just appeared one day, and it can be very bad-smelling, but some days we don't smell it at all.

Donna

There are many possible sources for this smell, but my guess is that he has a nasal or sinus infection. Here's my attempt to be Sherlock Holmes:

Ear infections can create quite a stench, but there is usually a nasty yellow or green fluid draining from the afflicted ear. Also, your son would probably have complained of ear pain, or would have fussed at his ear. (Ear-pulling is a classic sign of ear infection in infants and toddlers.)

Could it be an infection of the scalp? Doubtful, since you would probably have noticed this when bathing him.

How about bad breath? Bad breath may be due to infections of the adenoids or tonsils or to gingivitis (gum infection), cavities and other dental problems. Call it a hunch, but I suspect that if he had any of these problems, you would have described it as "bad breath," rather than as a "smell coming from his face." "Bad breath" is usually noticed when the child is talking or coughing, while "a smell coming from his face" suggests that you notice this primarily when he is breathing quietly (nasal breathing, in other words). Is this accurate? If so, an odor that is emitted during quiet nasal breathing suggests a diagnosis of rhinitis and/or sinusitis (infection of the nasal cavities or sinuses, respectively).

Needless to say, a competent pediatrician could certainly figure this one out for you, as could an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT). Don't underestimate the potential seriousness of this problem. At the very least, your son's odor will make him the object of scorn amongst his playmates. This will do awful things for his budding self-image. At worst, the odor could signify a potentially serious infection, and my overripe imagination can generate even nastier diagnoses. See a doctor.