A: Olga, it's normal for girls of all ages to have some vaginal discharge. The normal vaginal discharge is made of cells and mucus that are shed from the walls of the vagina. It is usually clear, white, or a little yellowish; and it doesn't have a bad odor. In young girls, the discharge is usually only a small amount, but it can increase as they near puberty.

Some girls have less discharge and some girls have more; some have clear discharge and some have more white or yellowish discharge—you need to get to know what's normal for your daughter. If your daughter's discharge changes appearance (e.g., gets bloody or greener), increases in volume, has a bad odor, or causes itchiness and redness around her vulva, it can be the sign of an infection. Young girls are susceptible to vaginal infections from the bacteria in stool—this is especially common around the time that they're newly toilet-trained when their hygiene is not very good. They can get vaginal infections from yeast, especially if they've been taking antibiotics for a different infection. And they can get vaginal infection with pinworms. Sometimes a discharge can be caused by a small object that a child has inserted in her vagina. And, rarely, a vaginal discharge can be a sign of sexual abuse of a child. Although your daughter's vaginal discharge is probably normal, it's best to have your her checked by her doctor.