Dribbling / drooling 6 year old
Discussion
Just wondering whether PH can help us here. My son is still dribbling from his mouth despite being 6 years old now.
I know everyone says this about their children, but he's bright and really sharp. He's reading books way ahead of his age for example. He also learnt to walk early, and was riding a bike without stabilisers from the age of 3.
He's very aware - and embarrassed - of the issue, but seems incapable of stopping it. We tell him to close his mouth, and swallow his saliver regularly, but he keeps on dribbling.
We've taken him to our GP a few times, and also a paediatrician, but they didn't have any answers. We've tried encouraging him to drink using straws, and various other doctor suggested techniques, but nothing seems to work.
I've googled this but it doesn't seem to be a problem others have experienced - outside of conditions like cerebral palsy, but he doesn't display any other systems associated with that condition.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
I know everyone says this about their children, but he's bright and really sharp. He's reading books way ahead of his age for example. He also learnt to walk early, and was riding a bike without stabilisers from the age of 3.
He's very aware - and embarrassed - of the issue, but seems incapable of stopping it. We tell him to close his mouth, and swallow his saliver regularly, but he keeps on dribbling.
We've taken him to our GP a few times, and also a paediatrician, but they didn't have any answers. We've tried encouraging him to drink using straws, and various other doctor suggested techniques, but nothing seems to work.
I've googled this but it doesn't seem to be a problem others have experienced - outside of conditions like cerebral palsy, but he doesn't display any other systems associated with that condition.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Edited by EdJ on Thursday 13th August 15:41
I've never come across this in my practice so far as a presenting complaint. The only thing I could add is a query about if his swallow is ok - can he eat various foods ok without struggling to swallow or regurgitating it? If not, if investigate with some swallow imaging. Alternatively, ENT might be able to suggest a med that reduces salia production of all is otherwise normal?
Can't think of much else off the top of my head.
Can't think of much else off the top of my head.
Has he ever had any facial injury or was he forceps delivery? I mention this because I had lower jaw surgery in my 30's and have a slight loss of sensation in my lower lip as a consequence. Nothing that impacts the motor function of it but sensation is changed (although still present)
This does mean that occasionally I drool or drip saliva when I'm not thinking about it. Usually if i'm leaning over or concentrating on something difficult.
Has he been checked for overactive saliva glands? Any dental issues?
This does mean that occasionally I drool or drip saliva when I'm not thinking about it. Usually if i'm leaning over or concentrating on something difficult.
Has he been checked for overactive saliva glands? Any dental issues?
Thanks very much for the replies.
He does have some mild problems with swallowing, and the doctor thought this could be due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, although they didn't think the tonsils enlarged enough to consider removal (nor would we really want this). He doesn't cough, choke or clear his throat a lot and his voice is very clear. I don't think he gets heartburn.
I should say that he loves food and eats really well. So swallowing food isn't a problem.
He definitely seems to produce a lot of saliva and he tends to keep his mouth open a lot. We've often wondered if this is because he's got a very small nose.
He's not had any facial injury, but regarding his delivery - it was a very long and difficult birth, so perhaps that resulted somehow in a loss of sensation in his lower lip. We've noticed that he tends to dribble more from one side than the other.
Thanks again for the comments - it's much appreciated.
He does have some mild problems with swallowing, and the doctor thought this could be due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, although they didn't think the tonsils enlarged enough to consider removal (nor would we really want this). He doesn't cough, choke or clear his throat a lot and his voice is very clear. I don't think he gets heartburn.
I should say that he loves food and eats really well. So swallowing food isn't a problem.
He definitely seems to produce a lot of saliva and he tends to keep his mouth open a lot. We've often wondered if this is because he's got a very small nose.
He's not had any facial injury, but regarding his delivery - it was a very long and difficult birth, so perhaps that resulted somehow in a loss of sensation in his lower lip. We've noticed that he tends to dribble more from one side than the other.
Thanks again for the comments - it's much appreciated.
As an aside (and possibly related), you mention that he keeps his mouth open a lot and so is probably breathing through his mouth too (due to small nasal openings?).
You need to get him to understand that the mouth is not to be used for breathing, only for food, water, talking, sticking your tongue out at other annoying kids... etc. It's the nose's function to provide the body with filtered and warm air. Maybe his mouth is producing more saliva as it's getting dry from being open for prolonged periods of time and also from the resultant airflow from breathing drying it out.
Hope you get to the bottom of it soon.
You need to get him to understand that the mouth is not to be used for breathing, only for food, water, talking, sticking your tongue out at other annoying kids... etc. It's the nose's function to provide the body with filtered and warm air. Maybe his mouth is producing more saliva as it's getting dry from being open for prolonged periods of time and also from the resultant airflow from breathing drying it out.
Hope you get to the bottom of it soon.
EdJ said:
Thanks very much for the replies.
He does have some mild problems with swallowing, and the doctor thought this could be due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, although they didn't think the tonsils enlarged enough to consider removal (nor would we really want this). He doesn't cough, choke or clear his throat a lot and his voice is very clear. I don't think he gets heartburn.
I should say that he loves food and eats really well. So swallowing food isn't a problem.
Swallowing food and swallowing liquids are two different things. Does he drink enough fluids? Is his saliva very phlegmy? What is the consistency and taste? Obviously, ask him, don't get him to gob into a cup and drink it. He does have some mild problems with swallowing, and the doctor thought this could be due to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, although they didn't think the tonsils enlarged enough to consider removal (nor would we really want this). He doesn't cough, choke or clear his throat a lot and his voice is very clear. I don't think he gets heartburn.
I should say that he loves food and eats really well. So swallowing food isn't a problem.
You mentioned cerebral palsy. A sort of not-exactly subtype of this (horrible oversimplification, sorry, I'm a bereaved parent not a medic) is pseudobulbar palsy, I would guess that a kid with very, very mild PBP would seem a bit like your little'un. Other thing I can think of, cranial nerve being nailed maybe during delivery, has also been mentioned.
This really may want following up by more expert eyes than 'just' a regular paediatrician, that they couldn't identify a cause doesn't mean there isn't one, especially if the little dude is otherwise very typical in behaviour, social skills etc. Speech and language therapists also cover swallowing and feeding, and I think that's probably who you need to talk to.
There are things like medications to reduce how much dribble a child produces but nobody in their right mind would consider going near any of them - although they're very effective they're never risk-free - without first knowing why.
(edit to correct typo)
This really may want following up by more expert eyes than 'just' a regular paediatrician, that they couldn't identify a cause doesn't mean there isn't one, especially if the little dude is otherwise very typical in behaviour, social skills etc. Speech and language therapists also cover swallowing and feeding, and I think that's probably who you need to talk to.
There are things like medications to reduce how much dribble a child produces but nobody in their right mind would consider going near any of them - although they're very effective they're never risk-free - without first knowing why.
(edit to correct typo)
Edited by BlackVanDyke on Wednesday 19th August 20:25
BlackVanDyke said:
There are things like medications to reduce how much dribble a child produces but nobody in their right mind would consider going near any of them - although they're very effective they're never risk-free - without first knowing why.
Indeed, we opted to manage the problem by using bibs designed for the purpose rather than putting our son on yet more medication, especially with some of the side effects I've heard about coupled with him being non-verbal!Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply to this. We've spent a lot of this weekend talking about using the nose to breath rather than his mouth, and also trying to keep his mouth shut when not talking. We'll see how this goes.
To answer additional questions, his saliver isn't phlegmy and he doesn't have a problem swallowing liquids. Interesting about the pseudobulbar palsy, we will look further into this.
SBDJ, was excess dribbling something you experienced with your child as well? I'm guessing from the use of bibs, that you child was quite a bit younger than 6?
His tonsils are enlarged, but not inflamed, and the doctor said that they were not sufficiently enlarged to warrant removal. His breathing seems fine, although in comparison to his younger brother, he makes more noise when he's sleeping (not really snoring, but a very slight rasp because he's breating through his mouth.)
To answer additional questions, his saliver isn't phlegmy and he doesn't have a problem swallowing liquids. Interesting about the pseudobulbar palsy, we will look further into this.
SBDJ, was excess dribbling something you experienced with your child as well? I'm guessing from the use of bibs, that you child was quite a bit younger than 6?
His tonsils are enlarged, but not inflamed, and the doctor said that they were not sufficiently enlarged to warrant removal. His breathing seems fine, although in comparison to his younger brother, he makes more noise when he's sleeping (not really snoring, but a very slight rasp because he's breating through his mouth.)
EdJ said:
His tonsils are enlarged, but not inflamed, and the doctor said that they were not sufficiently enlarged to warrant removal. His breathing seems fine, although in comparison to his younger brother, he makes more noise when he's sleeping (not really snoring, but a very slight rasp because he's breating through his mouth.)
Hmm, that sounds very familiar. They don't like removing tonsils nowadays even though it used to be very common. Trigger for us was watching him sleep on a long haul flight, his breathing became quite laboured. Had them whipped out when we got back. 456mgt said:
Hmm, that sounds very familiar. They don't like removing tonsils nowadays even though it used to be very common. Trigger for us was watching him sleep on a long haul flight, his breathing became quite laboured. Had them whipped out when we got back.
Yes, I remember it being very common when I was a child. Can I ask how old was your son when you decided to have his tonsils removed? And was he dribbling before he had it done?
EdJ said:
Can I ask how old was your son when you decided to have his tonsils removed? And was he dribbling before he had it done?
He was around 4; had to go back and look at my photo albums to check what year the holiday was, and ironically (or maybe predictably) the photo I found of him showed him dribbling like hell.. It was pretty debilitating for him so I know what you're going through. Get a paternity test, your wife could have been at it with Jamie Oliver, Roy Hattersley or next doors Mastiff.
Otherwise I wouldn't worry, my kids snot like crazy, pick their nose, my daughter constantly licks her upper lip and the two young ones won't leave their genitals alone in public - kids are weird.
Otherwise I wouldn't worry, my kids snot like crazy, pick their nose, my daughter constantly licks her upper lip and the two young ones won't leave their genitals alone in public - kids are weird.
FredClogs said:
Get a paternity test, your wife could have been at it with Jamie Oliver, Roy Hattersley or next doors Mastiff.
Otherwise I wouldn't worry, my kids snot like crazy, pick their nose, my daughter constantly licks her upper lip and the two young ones won't leave their genitals alone in public - kids are weird.
Otherwise I wouldn't worry, my kids snot like crazy, pick their nose, my daughter constantly licks her upper lip and the two young ones won't leave their genitals alone in public - kids are weird.
EdJ said:
SBDJ, was excess dribbling something you experienced with your child as well? I'm guessing from the use of bibs, that you child was quite a bit younger than 6?
Actually he'll be 7 in December and it's still ongoing. He has very bad Cerebral Palsy though which is why I wasn't going to offer a direct comparison, more my thoughts on the medicating side of things.Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff