Excessive Drooling

Along with all the great ideas everone else has given: can I make a suggestion?

If it's just a muscle-weakness issue, here's a great exercise a dentist gave me once (this exercise is NOT for babies, (who drool anyway,) or toddlers who can't follow directions well - safety first!):
Find a long, thin rubber band and a button about 3/4" to 1" in diameter. (A fatter button with wide holes in it is best). Thread the rubber band through the holes.

Have your child slip the button between his front teeth and closed lips (again: think safety! watch your son while he does this, and don't leave him alone with it!!!). Have him pull gently on the rubber band, and hold the button in place with his lips. Count one... two... three out loud for him, and then have him relax the rubber band.

Do this for 20 "reps", twice a day. If the button pops out of his mouth easily, shorten the count, or start with fewer reps.

As his muscles get stronger (this will "work" the lip, cheek, and tongue muscles), you can use a shorter, thicker rubber band; or a slightly smaller or thinner button; or increase the count time. Make a game out of it so it doesn't get boring; or sing a song (like Row, row, row your boat); or give star stickers... whatever he likes, for doing it.

Once the drooling stops, you can probably quit forever. OR, if the drooling comes back (or never goes away), I'd talk to a Speech Therapist or a Pediatric Ear-Nose-Throat Doc. (ENT)

Good luck!
T
Oh! I just remembered exercise #2!! (sorry). Buy the wide Boba drinking straws (they have them @ Ta-Lin Asian Market in Abq.; or you can nab one or two from a Boba juice bar, and reuse them). Make your son a nice, thick drink, like fruit slush; purple cow; whatever his favorite thick drinks are), and have him try to suck it up through the Boba straw. Combine this with the button ex., and he'll get those muscles firmed up even faster!
T

Hi N.---have you discussed this with his pediatrcian? There can be several issues to explore: dental issues; over-active salivary glands. (sometimes there are stones in the ducts so we drool a lot). Pediatric dentist may be a good choice. I am a retired physician assistant and have seen this in adults. If he is drooling excessively at 3 it's best to check this out. Good luck. Preble [ps--i use all caps to see better--no offense---not shouting :)]

Does he have any speech issues?
My son drools, and has speech issues too.
I was told his tongue and mouth muscles just don't work right.
It is recommended he practice blowing bubbles, sucking hard candies, chewing gum and other chewy candies to help him strenghten his mouth muscles and encourage him to swallow the spit. A speech therapist may be able to help. Try having him evaluated at your local elementary school.

HI! I'm a speech therapist and I feel the other suggestions are good ones. Have an Occupational Therapist or Speech Therapist take a look at him. Altamira offers free early intervention diagnostics which may indicate some need of therapy. The earlier you take care of these issues, the more success your child will have in Kindergarten and beyond.

Although the exercises given by someone below seem like nice ideas, I would have a professional look at him first so they can figure out what is causing the problem. Often muscle strength is not the issue, especially if there is a coexisting language or gross motor movement issues. Best of luck to you...

I totally don't want to scare you with the beginning... just keep reading. My secretary's grandson was born with mild cerebral palsey and had a huge drooling problem. There was a medication to help dry things up, also she made these cute little wristbands of terry cloth and velcro so he could wipe himself. He's 13 and find now. I'd have someone check on him first to rule out an overactive gland or something physical, then if everything checks out I'd keep on reminding him. My youngest three are night droolers ... I am always washing pillow cases. =)

My daughter has a speech problem and a drooling problem. She is getting speech and she just got looked at by an Occupational Therapist. They said it might be a neauroligical(sp?) disorder or it may be something to do with her muscles in her jaw/mouth...Oh I forgot to tell you that my daughter is 6yrs ols and in Kindergarten

My 9mo has always been an excessive drooler, his is due to being tongue-tied. It gets worse when he's teething, is it possible he's getting molars in? I occasionally drool because my lips don't close properly and it leaks out if I don't make a conscious effort to remember to swallow. Have you talked to the ped about it? My dh cousin drools a lot and has a developmental problem. It could be a physical problem or something more. If not just keep reminding him, it'll sink in eventually.

Hi
Does he talke much and his he real picky about the textures fo the food he eats? My son was all 3, so I talked to his DR about it and because he was not talking very much they sent us to a speach pathologist. They did a hearing test and every thing check out fine so the speach pathologist started him with some stimulation exercises with a little vibrating machine, an infant tooth brush and a couple of ther things and it worked, his drooling has stopped.

The best advice I can give you is be patient. My youngest was a bad drooler but he did outgrow it. I recommend a lot of dry shirts