Why is my toddler drooling so much?
I hear this question all the time from parents. Why is my 2 year old still drooling? Especially since at 2 years, teething may not be the culprit for his/her drooling. Here are a few reasons why your toddler may be drooling from a speech language pathologist perspective:
- Low muscle tone
- Weak muscle
- Swallowing difficulties
- Poor mouth and tongue control
If you are concern about your child’s drooling, it is important that you contact your pediatrician, dentist, or speech language pathologist. In some cases, an assessment may be warranted.
If the cause of drooling is the result of low/weak muscle tone, here are a few exercises that can be done at home:
Oral Motor Exercises to Reduce Drooling.
- Exercises that strengthen the lip such as blowing bubbles, blowing a whistle, or even using a straw are all great exercises that can be done at home.
- Chewy Tubes; one of my favorite tools to use with my younger kiddos that display excessive drooling as a result low/weak muscle tone. It has been shown to be an effective tool in increasing jaw strength. Have your child practice biting down on the chewy tube a few minutes at a time 2-3 times a dat.
- Adequate posture and positioning. Making sure your child is sitting up properly.
Behavior Modifications.
- Adequate posture and positioning. Making sure your child is sitting up properly.
- Prompting and Cueing
- Double Swallow
- Positive/Negative Reinforcement.
Keep in mind, there is little evidence to support any of these method for controlling drooling. Talk to your pediatrician but if your child shows interest in any of these activities, it definitely can’t hurt to try!