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Abundant salivation in a child 2. Why does a baby drool

Excessive production of saliva negatively affects the quality of life and brings a lot of inconvenience to a person. In practice, there are cases of false hypersalivation. This is due to the impaired function of swallowing as a result of injuries of the tongue, inflammation in the oral cavity, pathology of the bulbar nerves. It just seems to a person that there is a large amount of saliva in the mouth. In order to distinguish real hypersalivation from erroneous, it is necessary to find out in more detail how the salivary chains function, and what are the reasons for their increased activity.

Causes of increased salivation in children

Hypersalivation can occur at absolutely any age. The reasons for this phenomenon may be:

  1. Physiological changes - tooth growth, hormonal changes.
  2. Pathologies of complex genesis - a violation of the processes of swallowing saliva, neurological abnormalities, paresis or paralysis of the muscles of the larynx, inflammation of the glossopharyngeal nerve, rachitic phenomena, and so on.

Only a qualified pediatrician can determine the exact cause of increased salivation in a child based on complaints from the mother, father or the child himself and the results of laboratory tests.

How do physiological changes manifest themselves?

The physiological causes of increased salivation always lie in a change in the state of the body. It is absolutely normal when moving from one age group to another. The most common phenomena of "growth and maturation" are listed below.

Eruption and growth of teeth

A phenomenon characteristic of babies 3-18 months. An increase in the amount of amylase at this age is necessary for the internal sanitation of the oral cavity, since the exit of a tooth from the gum tissue is accompanied by the appearance of a small wound, which must be constantly moistened and processed. During this period, the baby has increased fatigue, capriciousness, refusal to eat (decreased appetite), a sharp jump in temperature in a child with increased salivation is possible.

Hormonal changes

Adolescence in boys and girls, contrary to popular belief, begins at the age of 12. It is at this age that the first menstruation and morning sperm eruptions appear. The beginning of changes in the “natural status” is accompanied by a restructuring of many metabolic processes, which leads to the occurrence of sweating, increased salivation, the formation of acne, and so on. To help a teenager survive this difficult stage, you need to take him to the doctor. A qualified specialist will give useful recommendations for taking care of yourself and your body, a nutrition program, and prescribe homeopathic teas or tablets. After passing the first stage of external and internal stabilization of the hormonal background, the hypersalivation phenomena disappear.

Pathological changes in hypersalivation

It is possible to talk about the presence of pathology with increased salivation only if additional painful changes or obvious signs of a violation are observed. These phenomena include:

  1. Inability to swallow saliva. This rare anomaly occurs with increased salivation in a child at 2 years old. With timely detection and treatment, it disappears by 3-4 years. The main signs of swallowing disorders are difficulties in suckling the breast, prolonged drinking, eating avidly.
  2. Diseases of the oral cavity - the cause of increased salivation in a child 3 years and older. An extensive group of pathologies, which includes inflammation of the glossopharyngeal nerve, and spastic disorders, and neurological abnormalities. It is very simple to identify these health problems in a child - in case of inflammation, the mucous membranes of the oral cavity will be bright red, a characteristic plaque will appear on the tongue and gums, swelling will be visible. The neurological profile is characterized by a sharp change in behavior, convulsive seizures, general inhibition of body movements, and a weak reaction to events occurring around. In addition, there is a general developmental delay - the baby later begins to sit, walk, smile and stand up. An experienced neuropathologist at a scheduled examination will be able to recognize and correct the pathological condition in time.
  3. Rickets. Lack of calcium and phosphorus in cells and tissues is accompanied by a whole range of unpleasant symptoms: an increase in the circumference of the head and abdomen, diarrhea, curvature of the legs and spine, sweating and baldness, impaired breathing, arrhythmia. In milder cases (at the initial stages of the formation of pathology), you can notice increased sweating, combined with loosening of the stool, profuse salivation, fatigue and bone crunching during sudden movements. After drug correction of this condition, metabolic processes stabilize, and the amount of saliva becomes normal.

Symptoms

The most common symptom of increased salivation in children is teething. In children in the age category from 4 to 7 months, milk teeth begin to erupt, in connection with this, the body reacts to the process by increasing the secretion of saliva. This is a fairly harmless cause of hypersalvation. After the extraction process will return to normal.

Quite often, stomatitis occurs in children with a symptom of hypersalvation. Stomatitis is characterized by a disease of the oral mucosa and is inflammatory. It becomes quite painful for the baby to swallow, and he stops doing it often, as a result of which saliva remains.

Also, one of the causes of hypersalvation can be gingivitis. The disease is manifested by inflammation of the gums. Increasing saliva secretion is a protective function of the body.

Increased salivation can be a symptom of clay invasion, as well as a symptom of cerebral palsy.

Disease of the ears or throat may well be symptoms of hypersalvation.

Be sure to remember: if a child is poisoned by iodine, pesticides or even mercury, you must immediately take the victim to the hospital. In such cases also, of course, there is profuse salivation.

What to do with increased salivation in children?

Excessive salivation is normal in children, but it can also be a symptom of a wide variety of illnesses. If this symptom is very disturbing, you need to find out the cause of the discharge. The doctor determines the amount of saliva secreted within ten minutes. It is also worth visiting doctors of narrow specializations. This is necessary in order to identify the underlying disease that provokes strong salivation.

If the cause is not yet completely clear, then if irritation occurs, special ointments or creams should be used to alleviate irritation. It is also necessary from time to time to wipe saliva from the chin or lips. To do this, it will be enough to take a clean handkerchief or dry wipes.

With hypersalvation, the doctor prescribes the intake of anticholinergics. This drug reduces the influence of the nervous system on the organs responsible for the salivation of the child's body, thereby weakening the discharge.

If hypersalivation occurs against the background of a neurological disorder, in such situations it is recommended:

  • Therapeutic physical culture, cryotherapy, facial massage, radiation therapy.
  • They also use homeopathic preparations with anthropin, which are prescribed by a doctor.

Folk methods

Treatment consists in rinsing procedures of the oral cavity with infusions of various herbs and their decoctions. Suitable tea, nettle decoction, infusion of watery pepper, and you can also use oak bark or sage. The mass of secreted saliva is also reduced by vegetable oil or very weakly concentrated potassium permanganate.

There are two good recipes that reduce salivation in both children and adults. It is necessary to pour 2 tablespoons of viburnum, which was mashed in advance. Pour boiling water, cover, wait until it cools completely. Then use the infusion after straining to rinse your mouth, you can drink it throughout the day. In babies, it often happens that saliva is secreted in a normal amount, but the child does not have time to swallow it, as a result, you might think that there are a lot of secretions. In this situation, you need to teach the child to keep his mouth closed, from time to time to swallow saliva.

Exercises

There are not bad exercises that help kids cope with this task.

There is a hole under the jaw, it needs to be developed for about 5 seconds with vibrating movements with your index finger.

Another option: find two points under the tongue at its base, massage them counterclockwise for about 10 seconds.

A little below the baby's ears, you can find areas where the jaws touch (close). It is necessary to make small circular movements at the points of contact. First you need to do it with your mouth covered, then tell your child to open his mouth for a while, continue the procedure.

You can put an ice cube on your child's lips. Sometimes you should gargle with slightly warm mineral water. Also, let your child gnaw crackers or carrots to train the muscles of the face.

Attentive parents pay attention to any changes in the behavior and health of their baby while he is still in the womb, not to mention that amazing period after birth.

Some moms and dads get worried when they see a 2 month old baby drooling profusely and want to know why this is happening. Do not worry ahead of time, because after birth, the salivation of the child is only being formed and has some features.

Features of the functioning of the salivary glands in infants

Increased secretion of the salivary glands is called or ptyalism, although this phenomenon is most often called salivation. In the normal state, hypersalivation as a physiological phenomenon is observed in infants from 2-3 months to six months or a little older. This is explained by an interesting process of formation of the functioning of the salivary glands.

After the birth of the baby, he does not fully function. A small amount of oral fluid is released. By about 1-2 months, changes in this process begin to occur, the glands are activated and more saliva is formed. This is a physiological norm. Before this period, this should not be the case, that is, a healthy one-month-old baby cannot have a lot of saliva.

From 2-3 months it starts, which can be manifested by salivation. The inflammatory process is reduced by exposure to saliva, which also provides protection. At this stage, excessive salivation will not be eliminated, but you can help the teeth come out and alleviate the condition of the crumbs. Buy, they are placed in the cold and given to a baby who scratches his teeth.

By three months, babies begin to actively explore the world and put everything in their mouths. Pathogenic bacteria can be found on toys. To this end, nature has provided for an abundant secretion of saliva, which has a bactericidal effect and tries to get rid of infections.

Non-dangerous circumstances

As you can see, at a certain age, excessive salivation in a child is caused by natural, non-dangerous reasons:

  1. Insufficient work of the glands that are responsible for the production of saliva. For children under one year old process of formation of salivary glands continues, so a lot of saliva can be produced. The baby does not have time to swallow it, it flows out.
  2. In a baby up to 2 months, saliva provides normal swallowing.
  3. In a three-month-old baby, copious saliva becomes a harbinger of teething.
  4. In children who are breastfed, saliva protects the body from microbes. It contains maternal antibodies and prevents the development of stomatitis, tonsillitis, influenza and other diseases.
  5. If a symptom appears in formula-fed infants, then this is a consequence normalization of the digestive process. Saliva promotes better absorption of mixtures.

Increased salivation in infants, and even more so in an older baby, may be due to certain diseases, so it is important to pay attention to other symptoms and go to the pediatrician.

Diseases as possible causes of salivation in children

The reasons why a baby drools heavily and bleats them with bubbles can be associated with certain conditions and diseases of the internal organs:

  1. Candidiasis(thrush). The reason is the increased reproduction of Candida fungi. They are activated with a decrease in immunity. Symptoms include redness, fever, and the appearance of a white coating in the mouth that resembles cottage cheese.
  2. CNS diseases. Increased salivation manifests some disorders of brain activity, in particular, cerebral palsy. Signs are impaired speech and coordination, weakness, convulsions and fainting. If already in 2-3 months there are such signs and the baby drools heavily with bubbles, you need to be examined by a neurologist.
  3. Worms. Accompanied by increased salivation at night. Other signs can also indicate the presence of worms: snoring, itching in the anus and in the groin.
  4. Infectious disease of the respiratory tract. Accompanied by strong salivation and hyperthermia, coughing, sneezing and runny nose.
  5. Stomatitis. Inflammatory pathology of the oral mucosa. Accompanied by the formation of vesicles, ulcers on the mucosa. The child feels quite intense pain, which is why he cannot chew food or swallow. Sometimes the cause is inflammation of the gums or salivary glands.
  6. Allergy. If drooling is pouring after being outside or during flowering, it may be an allergy.
  7. Intoxication. If the newborn is drooling, the cause may be drug or food poisoning. This condition is accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, swelling of the mucous membranes, flushing of the face and body.

An examination will help to figure out why drooling in a two-month-old or older child will help. Ignoring such a sign can lead to serious consequences.

What symptoms are important to look out for

Drooling in a 3-month-old baby and an older baby is most often not a sign of pathology, but there is still a chance. It is important to pay attention to accompanying symptoms that will prompt the cause and further actions:

  1. The baby always pulls various objects into his mouth, he is about six months old and he is irritable. It probably is. You can give your child a pacifier, special rubberized rings.
  2. Abundant salivation is accompanied by pain in the throat, head, nasal congestion with snot, sneezing, coughing, fever - this is SARS or tonsillitis. You need to call a doctor.
  3. On the oral mucosa, ulcers or light spots are observed -. Rinse with a solution of soda, take the child to the doctor.
  4. The child breathes through the mouth with noise, the chin is lowered, fever, a pronounced pain syndrome develops in the throat - swelling of the epiglottis. Occurs in children after 3 years. You should calm the child so as not to aggravate heavy breathing, go to the hospital.
  5. A sharp fall with a shudder of the legs and arms - convulsions. Call an ambulance immediately.

What should parents do

The following actions will help to alleviate the condition of the child:

  • put on a bib so that the jacket does not get wet;
  • wipe the neck and chest of the baby;
  • use a pacifier: it stimulates the swallowing process, but is addictive;
  • remove saliva from the body in time, apply cream to the skin;
  • when teething, use special devices.

How to prevent irritation from saliva

The most common cause is teething. To prevent itching and irritation, it is necessary to put a diaper at the head of the bed.

It is necessary at the first signs of irritation from saliva to lubricate the face with cream. You can use the following drugs:

  1. Bepanthen- cream for diaper rash and irritation.
  2. Weleda- ointment based on natural ingredients. You can learn about Weleda toothpastes from.
  3. Pantestin- a drug that accelerates cell repair.

If the rash develops gradually, you can use more effective drugs to treat skin diseases: Sanosan Baby, Sudocrem and others. They have an effect on the inflammatory process, kill microbes.

It should be noted that not necessarily the causes of the rash are flowing saliva. This is a sign of one of the serious diseases: measles, rubella and others. You need to consult a pediatrician.

How the problem is treated

A pediatrician's consultation will show whether hypersalivation is pathological and whether medical intervention is required. It is important to identify the root cause of salivation. If it cannot be eliminated, treatment is aimed at reducing the severity of symptoms.

At the same time, the volume of saliva may be normal, but the child does not swallow it in time. It is important to understand that salivation is a process in which the receptors of the nervous system take part. When a sufficient amount of liquid is collected, a signal is transmitted to the brain to swallow it with the help of receptors. In some cases, the flow of information does not reach the brain, this happens due to sensitivity failures or pathologies of the sensorimotor arc. The number of swallows decreases and the volume of saliva increases.

To fix this problem, you should correct the sensorimotor arc. It is necessary to create conditions so that the brain begins to receive the necessary information. The most effective way to fight is cryotherapy. An ice stick is passed over the child's tongue. This helps to reduce or stop hypersalivation. The method does not work immediately, requires perseverance, but is less painful than surgical correction. Anticholinergic drugs are also prescribed, for example, Atropine.

Strong salivation in an older child can lead to impaired speech. This slows down development and negatively affects socialization, so visits to the doctor and treatment should not be postponed.

Drooling is a fairly common occurrence in children under two years of age. But when saliva is produced in too much quantity, it can cause concern for parents.

Rosa Serdyuk, chief physician of Okdoctor, a remote telemedicine consultation service, told Letidor when salivation is considered normal and when it can be a symptom of a disease.

Why saliva is needed

Saliva is a clear, colorless liquid that is produced in the oral cavity by the salivary glands.

Its functions are quite diverse:

  • Participates in early stages food processing: under the action of enzymes, gradual digestion of fats begins, enveloping food fragments, which facilitates the further movement of the food bolus through the digestive tract. Thanks to saliva, we can feel the taste of food, we have an appetite.
  • Protects- the substances contained in it prevent the excessive growth of pathogens; protects tooth enamel from the aggressive influence of acids and alkalis.
  • Contains substances that analgesic effect, which is important when teeth appear in babies.
  • Regulates mechanisms self-purification mouth and teeth, washing them from food particles and bacteria.
  • Participates in speech formation.

What is considered normal

Hypersalivation - this is the scientific name for increased salivation - is characterized by increased secretion of the salivary glands, as a result of which the child produces too much saliva.

The salivary glands of the baby begin their work in the womb. Their active functioning occurs closer to two months.

In children at 3-4 months of age, saliva often flows from the mouth. This is due to immaturity in the control of salivation and ingestion of saliva (physiological salivation). At this age, the child tries to pull all objects into the mouth, thus recognizing the environment. Often, toys are not sterile, and microbes that enter the body begin to attack it.

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In response to such an “invasion”, the active work of the salivary glands begins, which indicates the proper functioning of the immune system.

When a child has a runny nose, and he has to breathe through his mouth, the work of his internal organs instantly changes. So that when air is inhaled, the mucosa does not dry out, the salivary glands begin to actively produce their secret, which helps to humidify the inhaled air and disinfect it.

There are also cases when a child chokes on saliva and coughs when breathing through the mouth, as they are unable to breathe and swallow the accumulated liquid at the same time.

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For children under the age of two, this condition is considered physiological, it is associated with the appearance of teeth.

When is the help of a doctor required?

However, there are pathological conditions that are not physiological and require medical attention.

Pathology of the oral mucosa: for example, thrush, stomatitis; viral diseases that affect the salivary glands themselves (viral sialadenitis), the so-called false hypersalivation, when the amount of saliva remains normal, and leakage occurs due to the pain syndrome associated with the above conditions.

Pathology of the nervous system (cerebral palsy, brain tumors, encephalitis, pseudobulbar syndrome (damage to the cranial nerves), etc.).

Problems from the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enteritis, etc.).

Worm infestations.

Poisoning with poisons, barbiturates, mercury, lead, etc.

What to do if the child is drooling heavily

The main thing is to recognize whether excessive salivation is a signal of a dangerous disease. This will be helped by a pediatrician who, if necessary, will refer the child to a narrow profile doctor to clarify the diagnosis and correct treatment.

If increased salivation is due to the imminent appearance of teeth, then the following can be recommended to the mother of the child:

Put on baby bibs that do not get wet and protect the baby's skin from hypothermia during a walk.

In case of skin lesions with prolonged contact with saliva, lubricate the affected areas with dexpanthenol ointment or creams that contain retinol and vitamin E.

Offer your baby cool teethers. They will temporarily relieve itching. You can also use anesthetic gels.

Make sure that the objects that the child puts in his mouth are clean and cannot be swallowed.

All children, starting from birth, have periods of copious flow of saliva, which the child does not have time to swallow. It is not worth worrying about this and fighting with “streams” flowing from your mouth. Since saliva plays the role of indispensable helpers for your baby.

The role of saliva in the lives of children

Abundant salivation in a child may appear for the following reasons:

  1. The body of the baby secretes viscous thick saliva, which helps the child to suck on the mother's breast.
  2. During teething, the gums swell and become inflamed. Due to the large amount of saliva, irritated gums are wetted, and all possible infection on them does not take root in the oral cavity. Most often, as soon as the first holes appear in the gums, profuse salivation stops.
  3. Children's saliva has a good bactericidal property. It contains enzymes that help digest food in the stomach. It is not for nothing that experienced doctors advise their patients suffering from heartburn to swallow saliva often, often. After a short period of time, heartburn goes away.
  4. In very rare cases, current drooling may indicate that your child has medical conditions such as allergic rhinitis and a viral infection. As soon as you have doubts about the amount of saliva produced, immediately contact a pediatric therapist.
  5. The magical property of children's saliva can also be considered that it helps to soothe pain in the body.
  6. In the first two months of life, children still do not know how to cope with their salivation. It happens that lying in the crib, the child begins to choke on saliva or coughs from saliva. In this case, try putting it on a pillow or on a barrel.
teething

All mothers have noticed that when teeth begin to cut, the child may have a fever and drool profusely. This means that saliva did not cope with the role of an antiseptic. Then the child has a temperature, it happens that it is very high, up to 39.5 ° C. This condition can last from three to five days. You may have to stay in the hospital. But under the supervision of doctors calmer. But when the fever subsides, drooling will disappear almost immediately, and you can see the long-awaited first teeth in the baby’s mouth.

The child has irritation from saliva

Such a problem not only spoils the appearance of the little one, but also gives him a clear inconvenience. To make the irritation not so strong, wipe the child's chin more often, with gentle soaking movements. During the day and before going to bed, be sure to smear the skin around the mouth with cream. Try using Bepanthen or your child's usual baby cream.

As you understand, you can’t get away from the current saliva. So stock up on patience, bibs and soft handkerchiefs.

In this article:

Folk wisdom says: drooling flowed from the baby - teeth will soon come out. However, doctors do not share this statement, despite profuse salivation at 2-3 months, the first teeth usually appear after the sixth month.

Is it worth it to rush to the doctor and look for problems in excessive salivation?

Why saliva is needed

The salivary glands of a baby are capable of producing saliva while still in the womb. A couple of months after birth, salivation increases significantly. Thus, nature took care of protecting the child's body from various infections that enter the mouth.

Another useful quality of saliva that is worth noting is the breakdown of starch into sugar thanks to the special enzymes that make up its composition. This property has a positive effect on the digestion of food that enters the baby's stomach. And less painful teething is also her merit.

Salivation is increased

Despite the above, there are times when increased salivation should be paid close attention. Drooling in a 2 month old baby may be more likely to be associated with a runny nose than teething. If the baby, with abundant salivation, also breathes through the mouth, this may indicate a nose clogged with snot. If there is no runny nose, and the baby is drooling, why not examine his mouth to exclude the presence of sores or inflammation of the oral cavity.

Closer to 6 months, the baby's salivation can really increase, this will be the first evidence of the imminent appearance of the first teeth. Effectively wetting the gums, saliva reduces the pain caused by teething. During this period, pay closer attention to the dryness of clothes - frequent change of blouses and the use of a bib are more relevant than ever.

If there is irritation on the chin from excess moisture, it is necessary to lubricate the delicate skin of the baby several times a day with a cream with vitamins A or E.

Do not forget that a 3-month-old baby drools like a river also because he does not know how to swallow them, and salivation seems to be increased for parents.

When to rush to the doctor

If the baby is characterized by profuse salivation, mothers can hear: wheezing in the chest or a strong cough. In this case, to exclude a viral infection, it is worth contacting a pediatrician. If coughing and wheezing are due to the fact that a 2-month-old baby is drooling, but it happens that they sometimes accumulate in the larynx, it is quite often to spread the crumbs on the tummy.

It is also worth rushing to the doctor because of increased salivation if you suspect the presence of inflammation, stomatitis, and thrush.

After examining the baby, the pediatrician will answer why the baby is drooling. Sometimes very serious diseases can be behind harmless saliva. This may be hypersalivation - increased salivation, which is associated with damage to the central nervous system and even with the presence of mental illness. A head injury or the presence of a brain tumor can lead to a strong secretion of saliva.

Do not be afraid of increased salivation, most often it is just a physiological feature of the baby. Sometimes there are opposite cases - lack of saliva. Not many children suffer from high temperatures during the period of tooth growth, but still there are cases when the temperature rises above 38-39 degrees. It may also be due to a lack of salivary fluid. Do not worry about this, but be sure to consult a doctor. You may have to spend several days in the hospital under the supervision of doctors.

If a baby is drooling at 3 months old, eliminate the factors that require the intervention of a doctor, buy bibs, stock up on disposable napkins and teethers, and wait until the baby outgrows. Please note that this healthy physiological process can accompany a child up to one and a half years.

Useful video about the timing of teething