Benji the bear talks about drooling
Drooling is a common problem in children with cerebral palsy and other conditions that affect the nerves and muscles in the mouth. Drooling can be distressing for children and their families; however treatments are available. Medically, drooling is known as sialorrhoea.
- The International Sialorrhoea Working Group has developed new resources to support children affected by drooling.
- The resources feature Benji the bear, who explains about drooling and some of the difficulties children and their families may experience.
- The information also describes the different treatments available.
- The new resources can be found on the This is Sialorrhoea website , including a video featuring Benji the bear.
Steve Tomlin, a long-standing member of the Medicines for Children Board and a member of the working group, has been involved in the development of these leaflets.
“We wanted to provide help for health professionals and parents/carers who are looking after children affected by drooling. We hope this new information will reassure families that drooling is a common problem and that help is available.”
What is sialorrhoea?
We know that many babies drool, and we are used to seeing babies with wet clothes or wearing bibs. Children usually learn to swallow their saliva (spit) at about 2 years of age. However, drooling after the age of about 4 years can be cause for concern. Children may have problems with drooling because they produce too much saliva. Or, their muscles may be weak or underdeveloped, so that they have difficulty swallowing their saliva. Sometimes problems with the teeth can cause drooling – such as having crowded or crooked teeth, or teeth that stick out. Drooling is considered severe when the saliva wets clothes and children need to wear bibs.
What difficulties does sialorrhoea cause?
Drooling can affect children’s physical and mental wellbeing. The saliva may make the skin sore or cracked, and clothes or bibs that are soaked in saliva may smell unpleasant. The saliva may also damage books and toys, for example. In some children, the excess saliva may go down into the lungs, where it can cause a chest infection. Children may also be at risk of dehydration (too little fluid in the body).
As well as these physical effects, children who drool a lot or who wear a bib may be judged or excluded from activities – people may assume that they have mental or educational disabilities for example. Older children or parents may feel self-conscious. For families, there is the need to change bibs or clothes several times during the day to protect the skin. This of course results in lots of laundry!
Are there treatments for sialorrhoea?
Mild sialorrhea may not need medical treatment. However, treatment may be helpful if the drooling is affecting a child’s life. This might include behavioural therapies, such as helping children to recognise the feeling of drooling. Exercises to improve control of the lips, tongue and swallowing may also be helpful.
Some children may benefit from taking a medicine that reduces the production of saliva. The most commonly used medicine is glycopyrronium or glycopyrrolate. This is available as liquid medicine or tablets. Hyoscine patches are an alternative treatment that may be more suitable for some children. Other possible treatments include botulinum injections and surgery. You can discuss treatment options with your doctor.
Leaflets about glycopyrronium and hyoscine patches and can be found on the Medicines for Children website: