Tweet
Have anyone ever cared for a child that drools all the time? I have a dcb that is 2 years old and he constantly drools. I'm talking about excessive drooling to where my room smells like him. He has been in my care for over a year now and I'm wondering is he ever gonna grow out of it.
-
-
Yes, I had a dcb who still drooled when he started Kindergarten. It was excessive and awful. At 4 Mom finally asked the pediatrician and he was diagnosed with essentially low oral motor control, he ended up with a year of therapy to help. He talked late but fairly well for his age, but would never close his mouth, he was always slack jawed. -
hmmmmm this little boy does't talk, the only words I have heard him say is momma and buy, the rest is a bunch of jibber jabber! The drooling is terrible, there has been times where he has drooled in the other kids hair, it be all over the floor, the table, the toys, just wherever.Comment
-
I had a special needs child that drooled excessively. He wore bibs and received therapy for it, but it didn't really help. We just wiped up slobber all day. It was really nerve-racking around cold and flu season.
Maybe talk to his mom about having him evaluated? A two year old with almost no speech and excessive drooling is a red flag, imo.Comment
-
My own son (now 20) drooled excessively and had speech articulation issues (as well as fine & gross motor delays). He went through years of speech therapy. Oddly, he also has an IQ of 140 and had a vocabulary way beyond his age. He is currently an Army sniper and his speech articulation is in the normal range, although sometimes he "mumbles" (pretty sure he doesn't mumble at work, though...
).
My approach with these situations is to ask the parents..."have you noticed....?" If they acknowledge that, say "Would you consider having him evaluated? "
Do you have a birth-to-3 program in your area?
The earlier he gets help, the easier for the little guy.Comment
-
I've expressed my concerns about the drooling and she just says maybe he is cutting teeth. Not to say he isn't, but darn he has been teething since he has been here over a year and he has a mouth full of teeth.
I"ve learned this past year when I express concerns to some of my parents, that kind of touches them in a different way. I too have a special needs son and I guess that's why I find it so very important to have even the things that may not seem like a issue checked out.Comment
-
My son, who is now 3 1/2 still has issues with drooling. It has gotten better, but at around 2 was REALLY bad and no matter what exercises I did with him it never really made a difference. At his 3-year check-up I asked his doctor about it (as I had at his 2 year) and he finally showed some concern about it. When he went to the dentist for the first time, that was one of my concerns that I brought up to him and he suggested we have him evaluated by the early intervention program for some speech therapy. His language skills are very good, but he has some articulation problems with basic sounds that he should have grown out of by now.
When we had taken him to his 2 year check-up, the doctor said that they wouldn't really be too concerned about the drooling until age 3, otherwise I would have gotten him evaluated by the birth-3 program.
It's likely that mom knows just how bad it is, but maybe if you approach the topic with something like: "Hey dcm, I've noticed that dcb's drooling isn't improving very much. While it could be from teething (if he doesn't have his molars yet), it could also be stemming from other issues. It might be a good idea to have him evaluated by a therapist in the birth-3 program." Be sure not to mention how gross it is (believe me, as a mom of an excessive drool-er...we know just how gross it is) but as more of a concerned with his speech and development approach. Your state should have a program for early intervention through the schools that can assist.
My son's drooling is slowly improving, but I think it's because we've drilled into him "close your mouth. swallow your spit. stop drooling on me
"
Comment
-
Heidi also mentioned the birth- 3 program, I think I'm going to mention that to her. I'm not trying to force the issue on her, I have just been expressing my concern and if there is anything I could do here to help I will!My son, who is now 3 1/2 still has issues with drooling. It has gotten better, but at around 2 was REALLY bad and no matter what exercises I did with him it never really made a difference. At his 3-year check-up I asked his doctor about it (as I had at his 2 year) and he finally showed some concern about it. When he went to the dentist for the first time, that was one of my concerns that I brought up to him and he suggested we have him evaluated by the early intervention program for some speech therapy. His language skills are very good, but he has some articulation problems with basic sounds that he should have grown out of by now.
When we had taken him to his 2 year check-up, the doctor said that they wouldn't really be too concerned about the drooling until age 3, otherwise I would have gotten him evaluated by the birth-3 program.
It's likely that mom knows just how bad it is, but maybe if you approach the topic with something like: "Hey dcm, I've noticed that dcb's drooling isn't improving very much. While it could be from teething (if he doesn't have his molars yet), it could also be stemming from other issues. It might be a good idea to have him evaluated by a therapist in the birth-3 program." Be sure not to mention how gross it is (believe me, as a mom of an excessive drool-er...we know just how gross it is) but as more of a concerned with his speech and development approach. Your state should have a program for early intervention through the schools that can assist.
My son's drooling is slowly improving, but I think it's because we've drilled into him "close your mouth. swallow your spit. stop drooling on me "
You just have some parents who get offended when you mention something about their child that they may already have noticed but is looking beyond it per say.Comment
-
I honestly think that MOST parents go on the instant defensive even if you are the most tactful person on the planet when you express concern over their child's development.
I have a son with special needs, and ALL of my family (dh included) disagreed with me when I got him evaluated. I didn't WANT him to have special needs, but I did WANT him to get help if needed. If I hadn't worked in child care, I am almost sure I would have ignored the symptoms longer and been in denial. BUT, because I KNOW first hand just how important early intervention is, I pursued it. (DS has autism & was dx quite early and has received services for almost 9 years now).
I had a child in care right after that happened who had classic ASD symptoms from 6 months+. When he turned 2, was non verbal, made no eye contact, couldn't follow a one step direction, didn't play with toys, didn't mimic anything, and didn't seem to even hear me talk, at all, ever. I had to PUSH the Mom to get help. She YELLED at me the first time I brought it up (and I only mentioned speech delay!) the next time I mentioned it (to Dad 3 months later) he pulled dcb immediately. A month or so later I received a phone call from the Mom saying thank you for identifying dcb's problems. The Dad went home that evening, researched it, and he was in birth-3 and in special needs preschool.
My job is to help/protect/care for these kids. Sometimes, even from their parents.Comment
-
The worst drooler I had was later on diagnosed as low muscle tone. it affected many milestones. She wore a bib till 3 years old. If it makes you feel any better, at 3.5 and with lots of therapy, it is no longer an issueComment
-
All my excessive droolers have had speech issues that required therapy.Comment
-
Well I wasn't going to talk tothe mom about until she came in yesterday saying " stank your shirt is soaking wet". I suggested that she get him evaulated and she said "Okay i'll talk to the doctor on the next visit". I just nodded my head and left it alone.Comment
Comment