It is called drooling when saliva flows out of the baby’s mouth. It is an unintentional action and it often looks unappealing. Babies have drooling issue because of underdeveloped or weak muscles around their mouth. Excess saliva production can also be responsible for baby drooling.
Does your baby drool? If yes, it might seem unattractive and many babies have this issue. Most children drool for two years after birth. Hence infants do not have very little over swallowing, the saliva moves out of their mouth. It may also cause rashes and other issues.
It is a normal issue. Proper knowledge about this issue will help you in taking better care of the child. So, let’s reveal more about baby drooling!
What are the Causes of Drooling?
Drooling can be considered a sign of developmental delay or a medical condition. It can also occur due to intake of certain medicines. Babies drool when saliva is produced excessively and the child can’t swallow it. The following causes may be responsible for this issue.
1. Age
Most babies start drooling after three months of birth. Some babies drool after six months when they get more energetic and active. It is pretty normal and drooling also becomes an issue when the child gets his first teeth.
2. Diet
The saliva production can also increase due to consuming high acidic diet. It won’t be easy for the child to swallow excessively produced saliva in such a situation.
3. Neurological health problems
Doctors also believe that the risk of drooling increases when the child is experiencing certain health issues. Neurological health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, and ALS may also cause drooling.
4. Other causes
Allergies and above-the-neck infections can also cause this issue. Besides, babies constantly putting toys in their mouth can also have saliva flowing out of their mouth.
Is Baby Drooling Good or Bad?
Drooling is both good and bad for your baby. Let’s find out why it is good or bad:
Baby Drooling Benefits:
Lubrication:
Most babies have swollen gum tissues when their teeth are growing. It can be quite painful and infants have pretty delicate teeth. The saliva offers necessary lubrication to avert teeth inflammation.
Cleaning effect:
Saliva plays an important role in keeping the child’s mouth clean and moist. Little ones can’t brush their teeth, when they have only two or four teeth. Saliva passes out of their teeth and cleans them frequently to prevent the tooth decay issue.
Test bud development:
Babies, who drool a lot, have a better appetite. Saliva plays a vital role in the development of the infant’s taste buds. Properly developed taste buds boost the child’s hunger cravings. The child demands for more food and gets more nutrients to develop faster.
Baby Drooling Drawbacks:
Drooling is unappealing:
Babies start moving on their knees after 6-7 months. They roam across the house and put most things in their mouth. Drooling becomes an issue when the child is moving across the house and putting different things in his mouth. His mouth will get dirty and it will be a bit unsightly.
Skin issue!
There are corrosive digestive enzymes in saliva. It is an acidic fluid that flows over the skin around the child’s mouth. It can cause drool rashes around the baby’s mouth. It will cause inflammation and pain if not cured in time.
Parents should be around the child to clean his mouth with a soft cloth. Thus, the risks of skin rashes will be quite low and your child will only experience benefits of drooling.
What are the Signs of the Baby’s Drooling Disease?
The following symptoms indicate that your child has a drooling disease:
Blisters!
Suppose there are blisters around the corner of your baby’s mouth, it can be a symptom of stomatitis or oral ulcers! The child will find it painful to swallow and therefore he won’t eat quite often! The doctor will suggest feeding liquid food in such a situation.
Fever and runny nose:
If drooling is combined with runny nose and fever, it can be a sign of tonsillitis or pharyngitis. There will be minor swelling around the throat when the child has tonsillitis. It will cause pain when the child swallows. Take the child to the hospital to diagnose the issue and treat it quickly.
Mouth ulcers:
It is a sign of chickenpox if the baby drools and he has mouth ulcers. It can also be due to a hand, mouth, or foot disease. The signs of chickenpox will first appear on your baby’s mouth and then on the rest of his body. The child won’t eat too much and therefore it will require proper medication to cure.
Babies need special attention when drooling is accompanied by other abnormal issues. It can be a neurological disease, such as facial nerve palsy, mental retardation, or sequelae of meningitis. Take your child to the doctor to diagnose the health issue and cure it before it gets worse.
How to Take Care of the Babies with Drooling Issue?
Follow the below-given tips to take care of your baby:
Wipe it:
Babies can have saliva flowing out of their mouth throughout the day. You should use a soft hanky to wipe it. Keep the areas around your child’s mouth dry as long as possible. It will help you in preventing drool rashes and other skin problems. Do not rub too hard because it can also cause rashes.
Clean the baby’s face:
Babies with drooling issue require proper cleaning. Use normal water to wash your baby’s face 4-5 times a day. Apply a moisturizing lotion after cleaning the face to take care of his face’s skin.
Clean your baby’s bed sheet and pillow covers frequently:
Drooling babies drop saliva on their clothes, bed sheets, pillow covers, and other areas. You should clean these things daily and replace them with cleaner ones. This effort will ensure there are no germs on your baby’s clothes and bed. You should also clean his toys every day if he takes them in his mouth.
Use a bib to protect your baby’s clothes:
Do you want to avoid changing your baby’s clothes frequently? You should use a bib. It is a special piece of cloth designed to prevent drool from dropping on the baby’s clothes. Suppose you don’t want to buy it, you can prepare it from any cloth at home. It’s simple and effective!
Avoid pinching your baby’s cheeks time-and-again:
If you want to ensure the baby drooling issue doesn’t get worse, do not pinch your child’s cheeks. Parents and relative often dandle the child in this way. It may seem like a normal thing, it can stimulate saliva production! It will only make the problem worse!
Help your baby in improving his swallowing ability:
Mothers should make sure the baby can swallow better. Complementary foods are fed after 6 months and it is also the time when babies have drooling issue. When the child has his first teeth, you should feed him easily chewable foods.
Solid foods help the child in improving his swallowing ability. Eggs, bananas, and similar foods are quite beneficial when it comes to improving the baby’s swallowing ability.
Is Drooling Harmful for the Baby?
Parents start worrying about the child once he starts drooling. Although it is common for most baby to drool, excess flow of saliva can scare caretakers. Is it harmful for the child? What most parents do not know about drooling? How it can affect the child’s health? Let’s find out:
Know why your child drools:
Drooling issue occurs mainly due to poor swallowing ability. Babies get quite active after four months. They consume more food and put their fingers or things around them in their mouth. Saliva production also increases after this age.
Even though children produce a lot of saliva, their mouth is still quite small. Children cannot swallow all the saliva produced in their mouth. Consequently, it flows out of the child’s mouth.
Parents should not worry if they spot saliva flowing out of the baby’s mouth. It is normal and this problem will cure automatically as the baby’s swallowing ability improves.
Taking care of baby drooling:
We have already explained what to do when your baby drools. He does not need any special medical treatment if the child doesn’t drool excessively. You can still take him to a doctor to ensure the drooling problem is not a sign of an underlying health condition.
Keep your baby clean, wash his face and clothes, and keep his skin well-moisturized. Thus, the chances of drool rashes will reduce and your baby will stay healthy.
Conclusion
Baby drooling issue troubles many parents. It does not require any treatment, but it requires you to take better care of the child. Let your baby drool and keep the bib ready to protect your child’s outfits.
Observe the area around your baby’s mouth every day while cleaning. Suppose you spot redness and pimples, contact your doctor. A proper treatment will prevent further skin problems.
