While drooling in infants and young children is usually nothing to worry about, parents of a child over 3 years of age who drools may want to speak with a doctor about it.
Younger children may drool because their oral muscular coordination hasn’t yet matured, points out paediatrician Dr Monika Niehaus.
Drooling in older children, however, may be caused by impaired swallowing, an overproduction of saliva, poor mouth and tongue control or poor mouth closure, she says.
Very large tonsils or neurological problems can impair swallowing. Among the causes of saliva overproduction by the salivary glands are medications for treatment of epilepsy or psychiatric disorders.
Depending on the cause of the drooling, medications or special training of tongue control and swallowing can help, Niehaus says. If a medication is causing an overproduction of saliva, the doctor can prescribe an alternative. Botox injections into the salivary glands can reduce excessive secretions. In rare cases, surgery may be needed to stop the drooling. – dpa
