Constantly reaching for another bib? Some information about dribbling/drooling…

We all know dribbling is a normal part of a baby’s life... but at what point should we expect this to stop, how much is normal and when should we seek advice?

Dribbling usually peaks between 9 to 18 months of age, when a baby is usually teething! Sometimes dribbling can go on for longer (past the age of 4 is considered abnormal), or can be so excessive it feels like you have a never-ending pile of saturated tops and bibs! Not only can this cause skin irritation, but it can also sometimes be a bit smelly. These difficulties are not caused by the baby having too much saliva, but instead are caused by the child’s difficulty managing the saliva. This could simply mean the child is not swallowing enough, or that they are keeping their mouths open (and tongue forwards), or even may indicate low motor tone and sensory input (which means that they often don’t feel the saliva coming out of their mouth). At times it can also be linked with large adenoids and tonsils.

The common explorative habit for babies of putting fingers or toys in their mouth to chew on can also stimulate the salivary glands which produces more saliva! But saliva is important! It helps you to chew your food, maximises taste in your food, helps keep your mouth moist so you can talk, and the bacteria in saliva is valuable for keeping your teeth clean.

So what can you do?

If you are concerned about your child’s saliva management, you can contact a Speech Pathologist to discuss overall milestones and development to determine the right pathway forward to support your baby and reduce those washing piles. A Speech Pathologist will be able to identify if the dribbling is normal for their age or if some sort of intervention is required.