Drooling

Drooling in children is the constant or episodic leakage of saliva from the mouth, particularly during concentration, speech, or physical activity. In most cases, drooling is linked not to excessive saliva production but to weak control of the mouth muscles and swallowing impairments. Typical causes: cerebral palsy, encephalopathy sequelae, weak oral-motor base, abnormal tone of the mouth and pharyngeal muscles, oral hypersensitivity. In children with ASD, drooling occurs against the background of sensory disintegration and oral-motor features.

At H&B Neurolife International Rehabilitation Center (Shangrao), the drooling program works not on the salivary glands but on training the mouth muscles and swallowing reflex. The core direction is a specialized swallowing stimulation device (low-frequency electrical stimulation with biofeedback trains coordination of the swallowing muscles and strengthens the muscles of the mouth and pharynx). In parallel — oral-motor therapy (professional manual techniques and play tools), neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the mouth muscles, and pediatric acupuncture and Tui Na massage for tone regulation.

What parents should know

Drooling is not a "weak will" or a "bad habit" — it is a functional problem that requires systemic work with the oral-motor base. At the initial assessment, it is important to tell specialists about comorbid conditions (cerebral palsy, encephalopathy sequelae, dysphagia) — this helps tailor the program precisely. Some exercises are performed at home daily with a parent.