drooling, excessive

Some degree of drooling in children is normal in the first few years of life. By about age 4, most childen don't drool whether awake or asleep. The usual cause of excessive drooling is inadequate or inefficient swallowing of the normal amounts of saliva produced. It is uncommon for excessive drooling to be related purely to overproduction of saliva.Children with developmental disabilities may have impaired ability to swallow their saliva effectively, and thus may drool excessively.

The most definitive treatment of excessive drooling is by speech therapy, in which the child learns to swallow properly. Drug therapy is sometimes used to reduce saliva production, with surgery to redirect saliva flow or reduce it by removal of salvary glands. Botulinum toxin (BoTox®) injections can be used to reduce salivary flow as well. .

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