This site is intended to provide information on the associated conditions of cerebral palsy.
Drooling is the unintentional loss of saliva from the mouth. It occurs naturally in very young children, but as the child gets older it usually decreases. Daytime drooling stops within the first few years of life, although it is still normal for it to occur in the older child during sleep. Daytime drooling beyond the age of about four years is unusual, unless there is an underlying medical problem, such as cerebral palsy.
Contrary to what many people think, producing an excess amount of saliva does not usually cause drooling. Instead, it has been found that children who drool usually have a tendency to swallow less often than normal. In cerebral palsy however, drooling is typically related to deficiencies in swallowing (rather than to absence of swallowing), to difficulties moving saliva to the back of the throat, to poor mouth closure, jaw instability and tongue thrusting.
Drooling can be made worse by, for example, a lack of head control and poor posture, lack of sensation around the mouth, mouth breathing, excitement and impaired concentration.
While drooling can lead to the child being socially ostracized, there are also health and hygiene implications for people who drool. The skin around the mouth, chin and neck can become red and sore; dehydration may happen because of fluid loss; there may be problems with eating; infections may be more easily transmitted; and choking is more likely, as are chest infections.