Have you ever wondered when the floodgates of drool will finally close with your little one?
The journey of drooling in babies is a tale of exploration and growth. As you navigate through the stages of infancy, understanding when babies typically bid farewell to excessive drooling can provide you with insights into your child’s development.
But hold on, the timeline of when this saliva symphony ends might surprise you.
Babies usually start to drool around 2-3 months of age and stop drooling when they reach about 2 to three years old. Usually, toddlers stop drooling when they’re done with teething.
Moreover, there are several causes of drooling, and most of them are normal and are not a cause of alarm. However, this may cause drool rash, which is very typical for excessively salivating babies. Drool rash can be treated at home, but when it starts to cause severe discomfort or drool rash is not going away, you may want to visit a pediatrician for proper diagnosis and medication.
If you’re curious about the developmental journey of drooling in infants, let’s dive into the fascinating world of ‘Drooling Milestones in Infants’.
Drooling is a common occurrence in babies as they explore their surroundings through their mouths. Initially, between 2 to 4 months of age, you may notice increased drooling as your baby’s salivary glands become more active. This is a sign of their oral motor skills developing. By 6 months, as your baby starts teething, drooling may peak due to the discomfort caused by emerging teeth. It’s essential to provide teething aids during this period to ease their discomfort.
Around 8 to 12 months, as your baby’s teeth start erupting, drooling typically decreases. This decline is linked to improved muscle control in the mouth and increased swallowing coordination. By 12 months, most babies have gained better control over their drooling, with reduced saliva production during non-feeding times.
Drooling is a normal occurrence for infants and toddlers. Infant saliva has essential functions in the development of your child, which includes:
Researchers also suggest that excessive drooling is connected to your baby’s digestive development.
So if you notice that you keep on changing bibs and shirts, it’s perfectly normal and is a sign that your baby is healthy.
You may notice your baby is starting to drool when they reach two to three months of age. That is the time when your baby becomes “oral-centric,” that is, when he put things into this mouth. This act stimulates the salivary gland, thus producing more drool.
Let’s explore the typical drooling patterns seen in babies as they navigate their oral development journey.
Drooling is a common occurrence in infants as they begin to explore the world around them using their mouths. At this stage, babies’ muscles in the mouth and throat aren’t fully developed, leading to increased saliva production. As babies grow and their oral motor skills improve, drooling usually decreases. It’s normal for babies to drool during teething, as the discomfort can stimulate saliva production. Additionally, babies may drool more when they’re excited, anxious, or in the presence of certain smells they enjoy.
As babies develop stronger lip closure and tongue control, typically around six to seven months of age, drooling tends to reduce. However, if excessive drooling continues past this age or is accompanied by other symptoms like difficulty swallowing or speech delays, it’s advisable to consult a healthcare provider. Understanding these normal drooling patterns can help parents navigate their child’s oral development with confidence.
Excessive Drooling
Drooling, including excessive drooling, is as normal as crawling or standing up – it is part of every child’s development.
Your baby is used to drinking milk to get nourishment. They will start to eat solid baby food when they reach around six months. To compensate for this change of diet from liquid to solid, the salivary glands will produce more saliva to help soften the food for easier digestion.
Related Read: Healthy Snacks for Kindergarteners (Recipes + Ideas)
Teething is the most common reason for excessive drooling. When your baby is teething, several symptoms, including fever and excess saliva, are present. Your baby’s gums are irritated. In response, your baby’s salivary glands are working double-time to protect and soothe gums during this stage of your baby’s development.
Using a pacifier can also cause your baby to drool a lot. Since babies who use a pacifier are used to sucking and swallowing their saliva, their bodies are triggered to produce more.
When the pacifier is not in their mouth, babies are not swallowing, which causes excess saliva to spill over their mouths.
Excessive drooling is normal. However, if you notice that your baby is drooling more than usual and is accompanied by other symptoms such as having difficulty breathing or swallowing and has jerky movements, being fussy, or not sleeping well, then better to have your baby checked by the pediatrician.
Babies stop drooling when their teeth are complete, which is when they are around 2-3 years old, but once the first few teeth are out, you will notice less drooling than before.
However, if your baby is still drooling long after he is done with teething, then it may be because of the following conditions:
Infection of the gums, cavities, and malformations of the mouth prevents the mouth from being closed properly or may interfere with swallowing.
When your baby is congested, thus experiencing difficulty breathing, their nasal passageways are blocked, which leads them to breathe using their mouths. Since their mouth is open all the time, drooling will take place.
Hypotonia is a condition where the muscle has low stretch or resistance, thus making your baby unable to close his mouth or what is called an open mouth posture.
Children with neurological or genetic disorders such as cerebral palsy and Down syndrome have low control over their facial muscles. This includes the mouth, which affects the child’s ability to swallow or close their mouth. This results in drooling.
This is a condition where a baby has difficulty swallowing. This includes difficulty in eating, drinking, and at times, even breathing.
When you notice that the surroundings of your baby’s mouth, or his face, neck, and even chest, have rashes or are chapping, it can be because of excessive drooling, known as drool rash.
Drool rash is an allergy caused by excessive moisture. When the skin is left wet for longer periods, it becomes irritated, and rashes appear. When left untreated, it can cause severe discomfort for your baby.
Related Read: Cradle Cap vs. Dry Skin: Which condition does your baby have?
The good news is drool rash is a common occurrence and can be avoided entirely. The key is to keep your baby’s skin clean and dry.
Here are some of the tips to prevent drool rash:
It is always a stressful experience when our little one is uncomfortable. Drool rash is not only uncomfortable to your baby, but it can also develop into a more severe skin condition. This is why treating it as early as possible is important. You know what they say, a happy baby is a happy mommy.
The treatment for drool rashes is similar to how we treat diaper rash. Here are some of the things we can do to treat drool rash of your baby:
When after a week, you don’t see any improvement in your baby’s skin condition, consult your pediatrician so they can properly diagnose any other factors that cause the rashes, and they can give stronger ointments as treatment.
If your baby’s rashes is accompanied by fever, you need to consult your pediatrician as it may be a symptom to a more severe disease.
Exploring the factors that influence the duration of drooling in infants and young children reveals insights into their oral development journey. Various factors can affect how long drooling persists in children.
One key factor is the development of oral motor skills. Children need well-developed lip closure, tongue strength, and swallowing abilities to prevent excessive drooling. Additionally, anatomical abnormalities such as cleft lip, cleft palate, or macroglossia can contribute to prolonged drooling.
Neurological conditions like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, developmental disorders such as Down syndrome or autism spectrum disorder, and psychological conditions like anxiety can also impact drooling duration. Moreover, medical issues like stroke or side effects of certain medications may lead to persistent drooling.
Understanding these factors and addressing any underlying issues can help manage and potentially reduce drooling in children. If excessive drooling persists or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms, seeking professional help from a healthcare provider or speech pathologist is advisable to determine the appropriate treatment.
Seeking professional help for your child’s excessive drooling is crucial in identifying underlying issues and determining the appropriate course of treatment. If your child’s drooling is accompanied by other symptoms like difficulty swallowing, it may indicate a more serious underlying condition that requires medical attention.
Persistent excessive drooling even after addressing potential causes could signal an issue with muscle control in the mouth and throat, necessitating intervention from a speech pathologist or healthcare provider. Various factors such as poor muscle tone, teething, overproduction of saliva, nerve problems, anatomical abnormalities like cleft lip or palate, neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, developmental disorders like Down syndrome, or certain medications could contribute to excessive drooling.
Additionally, psychological conditions like anxiety, nasal allergies, or cerebrovascular diseases like stroke may also play a role. Seeking professional guidance can help determine the root cause of the drooling and establish an effective treatment plan to address your child’s specific needs.
When managing excessive drooling in children, it’s essential to address the underlying causes and implement targeted interventions for effective treatment and improvement.
One approach is to ensure proper oral motor skills development through exercises that strengthen lip closure, tongue control, and swallowing coordination.
Encouraging proper hydration can also help regulate saliva production.
Utilizing tools like drool pads or bibs can manage the physical effects of drooling, keeping your child comfortable and dry.
Moreover, consulting with healthcare professionals like speech therapists or pediatricians can provide valuable insights and customized strategies to address your child’s specific needs.
Identifying and treating any underlying medical conditions contributing to excessive drooling is crucial for long-term management.
By taking a proactive stance and seeking appropriate support, you can help your child navigate and reduce the challenges associated with excessive drooling, promoting their overall well-being and comfort.
While we have covered the basics of what you need to know about drooling, some questions may need further explanation:
You cannot stop your baby from drooling. Drooling is a normal occurrence and is part of your baby’s normal development. What we can do is to ensure that our baby is clean and dry to avoid any drool rash.
No. Drooling (even excessive drooling) is normal. However, if you see that the drooling is unusual and accompanied by difficulty breathing or jerky movements, it is best to check if your baby is choking.
Remember, drooling, especially past the teething stage, may be symptoms of a much bigger problem. It is best to consult your pediatrician to have your baby properly diagnosed.
It is normal to see a 2-year-old drool. However, it is expected that after teething, excessive drooling will subside. If you notice that your baby is still excessively drooling past the teething stage, it is best to consult your pediatrician.
Drooling should not cause you any alarm, especially if your baby is in the early stage of development. As a matter of fact, drooling during infancy is a sign of healthy digestive and cognitive development.
Drooling helps your baby in so many ways, such as soothing the gums during teething, breaking down solid food for easier swallowing and digestion, and sending a signal to a breastfeeding mom, which changes the composition of breastfeeding milk.
It is miraculous and astonishing.
Go ahead, let your little drooling monster make a mess! As long as you are there, there is nothing to worry about.
