Generally babies have a habit of drooling. This process starts in babies from three months onwards. It is said that children produce much more saliva than adults do, in fact up to eight times as much. So, if the child does not swallow the saliva, it can spill out of the mouth. It can happen as the babies don’t develop the habit of keeping their lips together at this age.
Drooling also happens when the kids are expecting their milk teeth. It can also happen as they put everything in their mouth or try to bite different objects they find.
As the kids grow older they learn to manage their saliva and majority of the kids stop drooling after the age of two. According to experts, dripping of saliva in children is considered a sign of their proper development.
How to reduce drooling?
Here are a few tips which can be helpful in reducing the dripping of saliva in babies.
Dripping of saliva can be prevented by using a bib or handkerchief made of pure cotton or a terry cloth. Keep wiping the saliva as often needed and apply a baby cream or petroleum jelly to reduce the occurrence of rashes.
Try to spend time with your baby and train him/her how to keep his/her lips closed. Also teach them how to swallow their saliva. Try training the baby in doing some simple mouth exercises like just trying to move his/her tongue up and down or rotate their tongue. This tones the mouth muscles and in turn reduces drooling.
Make your baby drink the fluids through straws. This will teach them how to keep their lips together and gently remind them regularly to keep their lips together and chin dry. Gradually they will get conscious about it and will follow your instructions.
Consult a doctor
Though it is normal to drool till the age of two, if drooling continues in the third year and it is accompanied by other developmental delays such as a very clumsy gait, fine motor delay, or delay in learning other things it can be considered as a sign of some kind of neurological problem. It is recommended to consult a good pediatrician in such cases.
(Disclaimer: The information and information given in this article is based on general assumptions. News18 does not confirm the same. Before implementing these, please contact the concerned expert.)
