Salivation at 2 months. Profuse saliva in a newborn. Why is that bad

After the birth of the baby and as he grows up, something new can be observed in his development every day. It is impossible to ignore the symptoms that are alarming for the mother, for example, increased salivation after the second month of life. The baby drools, which at first does not cause any discomfort to the child, then, after a few days, the salivation becomes more abundant, and the mother has to change clothes more often on the baby. If the child's chin is constantly under the influence of saliva, then it becomes irritated, inflamed, and then the baby begins to show concern, because irritation and a rash cause him pain. Why the baby drools, and what characterizes this phenomenon, we will consider later in the article.

1. Soon teeth!

The main reason for increased salivation in babies is the preparation of the gums for teething. This period can start from 2 months and continue during the first year and a half of the baby's life. The teeth can move even in the gum itself and cause pain to the baby. And saliva softens inflamed gums and has an anti-inflammatory effect, as nature itself intended. In this case, you are unlikely to cope with salivation, but you can help the teeth to be born by buying baby teething toys and special teethers, for example, filled with water. They can be cooled in the refrigerator and given to scratch the gums of the child. Pain will be much less intense.

2. Intensive work of the salivary glands.

The salivary glands are not yet fully formed, and during the first year of life they may from time to time "test" their work. There is too much saliva, the baby is not able to swallow it all, and it flows out. Fortunately, such periods are short-lived and are quite rare, but nevertheless they take place.

3. Fight bacteria.

Already from the age of three months, the baby drags rattles into his mouth. And the older you get, the more you want to try "by the tooth". Any dirty object can cause an unpleasant disease in a child - stomatitis. The body wants to get rid of the causative agent of infection by all means, and since saliva has bactericidal properties, the oral cavity is literally washed by saliva from microbes. Hence the complaints of parents about increased salivation in babies.

4. Hypersalivation.

I would like you to never come across this term in everyday life. In this case, increased salivation may be a sign of a more serious condition. Parents should monitor every change in the behavior and health of the child. It is necessary to consult with a specialist to rule out brain diseases, unequal systems, and the presence of tumors.

Hypersalivation is one of the signs of the disease, usually the primary one, because it is quite difficult to determine the discoordination of movements in infancy, because the baby is still learning everything himself. The neurologist and pediatrician will see the picture more clearly, so do not jump to conclusions, but be on the lookout.

What to do and how to help a child with increased salivation?

The fact that the baby is drooling in most cases indicates teething. It is useless to fight this, you cannot influence this process. But it is quite possible for you to make life for yourself and your child more comfortable:

so that clothes are not saturated with saliva, put on special collars with a waterproof lining on the child;
on the street, try to give the child a pacifier, it will help the baby swallow saliva;
baby's gums itch, so you can massage them with a clean index finger, gently pressing on the expected teething areas;
gum gel will cool the inflamed areas, relieve redness and in a couple of seconds the child will be calm and not hurt.

Remember that abundant salivation in a child is a temporary phenomenon, with the eruption of the first main teeth, the child will be much easier and saliva will no longer be released in such a large amount. Wait out this period, and to avoid making false diagnoses, contact a specialist - your local pediatrician. Easy teething to you, be healthy!

On this topic:

Why does a newborn's chin shake?

Drooling in a newborn is not such a rare occurrence. Usually they begin to flow strongly in a two- or three-month-old baby. According to popular belief, excessive salivation indicates the imminent appearance of teeth. And this despite the fact that on average the first teeth begin to appear at 6 months.

Saliva in infants at such an early age has a well-defined physiology. To the question: why does a child drool too much, doctors answer: this is a protective reaction of the body. Doctors have determined that the baby is literally drooling like a river in response to a new stage of development, when the baby begins to literally taste everything. It is at 2-3 months that the child begins to pull everything into his mouth - rattles, toys, objects found under his hands, his own legs, etc. Saliva in this situation is a means of protecting the newborn from infections and bacteria that can be on all these objects . Saliva has been shown to have antibacterial properties.

Why is there so much of it? Doctors say that the salivary glands begin to work more actively, as a result of which the baby drools more. The child still, due to the underdevelopment of many systems, does not know how to swallow them. And it seems that there is too much saliva.

Another reason for increased salivation in a newborn is the nutrition of the child. Saliva contains special enzymes that help break down starch and turn it into sugar. And this is both energy for development and food for the mind. In addition, saliva can soften and anesthetize the baby's gums during teething.

When Drooling Indicates Trouble

The child drools in large quantities and as a sign of a very serious illness, indicating problems with the movement and development of vital body systems. So, for example, increased salivation in a newborn can signal the formation of tumors in a baby, problems with the central nervous system and the brain. Of course, you should not panic and wonder why this is happening is not necessary. Just show the child to the doctor if you are very worried about excessive salivation in the baby. In this case, consultation with a pediatrician and a neurologist is recommended.

If a newborn has a runny nose, and against its background an excessive secretion of saliva develops, it is worth paying special attention to the treatment of SARS in a baby. After all, the child cannot breathe through the nose, due to its congestion. Breathing through the mouth is also difficult, because the mouth is full of saliva. All this is fraught with hypoxia and a serious breakdown in the child.

Abundant saliva is noted in an infant and with the development of various inflammations in the oral cavity, for example, with stomatitis. So, the mucosa tries to protect itself from bacteria and infection. In some cases, an increase in the number may signal the growth of blood vessels. Sometimes, against the background of increased salivation, mothers are advised to examine the baby for diseases such as hepatitis, enteritis, gastritis, or worms.

How to care for a child

Excessive salivation is very unpleasant in terms of physical sensations. Therefore, the task of parents is to help the baby overcome this period as comfortably as possible. It is necessary to use special bibs for the newborn - fabric linings that help absorb saliva and keep clothes dry.

The use of a pacifier allows the child to more easily cope with increased salivation, because with its help he can swallow saliva.

If irritation appears on the child’s chin due to saliva, you need to treat it and lubricate it with nourishing and moisturizing creams. You can also use ointments with zinc, which have a drying effect.

Be patient - this period in a newborn will not last long. Try to make sure that it does not disturb the well-being of your child.

comments powered by HyperComments

Abundant, and sometimes excessive salivation in a child can greatly frighten any mother, especially if the appearance of teeth is not expected soon. The skin around the mouth and under the chin of the baby is irritated due to constant contact with moisture, becomes covered with sweat and gives the baby anxiety. Strong salivation, in addition to problems with the skin, can cause discomfort in a child of a different nature: the liquid flows into the throat, and the baby chokes and coughs.

What causes strong salivation in children under one year old? Are these early harbingers of the appearance of teeth or a signal that there are problems in the baby's body? How to care for a baby so that abundant salivation does not cause him discomfort?

The role of saliva

The salivary glands of the baby begin to function even in the womb and continue their work after birth. At about two months, the secretion of these important ducts increases, hence the profuse salivation in children.

Saliva plays very important and diverse roles in the life of our body.

Protects the body from infections through the oral cavity due to the immune bodies contained in it.
Enzymes in saliva break down starch into sugar, which aids in faster digestion.
When a baby transitions from liquid to solid food, saliva helps to “thinn” it in the mouth, which makes it easier to move down the esophagus and digest it further.
Saliva contains substances that act as analgesics - they reduce the pain that occurs during teething.
Saliva also has a cleansing function: it flushes out food debris from the oral cavity.
In children and adults, saliva protects tooth enamel from decay by additional mineralization.

Causes of excessive salivation

An increase in salivation in a child at two to three months is due to physiology - enhanced secretion of nature protects babies from microbes and bacteria entering their body. But if the drooling of a baby up to a year is very abundant, you should think about why this happens.

Body protection

In a two to three month old baby, excessive salivation may be a sign that his immune system is trying to use this physiological fluid to protect the child's body from infection.

At this age, the child learns to control the movements of his hands and pulls everything into his mouth - this is how he learns the world. The surface of toys is not always sterile, and microbes that enter the body begin to attack the child's body. In response to the “invasion”, the salivary glands begin to work actively. Thus, profuse salivation is a standard reaction of an infant's body at two to three months to a developmental leap, indicating the normal functioning of the infant's immune system.

In the presence of a runny nose, when a newborn or an older child has a clogged nose, and he is forced to breathe through his mouth, his body immediately reacts. To prevent drying of the mucous membrane when air is inhaled, the salivary glands begin to actively produce their own secret, which helps to humidify the inhaled air and delay infections. Sometimes a child chokes on saliva and coughs when breathing through the mouth because they cannot simultaneously inhale air and swallow accumulated fluid.

Preparing for teething

Even in a two-month-old baby, excessive salivation can be associated with the rapid swelling of the gums and the appearance of the first incisors. The product of the salivary glands softens the inflammation and partially relieves the pain that occurs from the teeth starting to move inside the gums. At the same time, nothing swells in the baby’s mouth, but the baby’s body already reacts in two or three months and anesthetizes, as it can, an unpleasant process. This profuse salivation can last for a year, until the child has grown most of the milk teeth.

"Preventive" work

Pediatricians note that in the first year of life, the salivary glands seem to be testing their work.

Such "preventive work" does not last long and happens infrequently in the first year of life. At the same time, the secretion is so abundant that the child often does not have time to swallow it completely, and the baby chokes or drools out. Most often, "checks" occur in the first month, but can be repeated several times until the baby is one year old.

Problems in the central nervous system

Increased salivation can be a sign of serious pathologies in the central nervous system. In order to exclude diseases related to the work of the brain in the first year of life, you should show the baby first to the pediatrician, and then to the pediatric neurologist. Abundant salivation can signal dysfunction of the central nervous system, the formation of tumors.

Diseases

The abundance of saliva in a baby can signal the presence of diseases in the crumbs:

thrush (is a fungal disease of the baby's oral cavity and is characterized by white plaque and sores, as a rule, is diagnosed in the first month of life);
problems with the organs involved in the process of digestion and excretion (hepatitis, gastritis, enteritis);
the presence of worms (then the baby will drool mainly at night).

How to help the baby?

First of all, you need to make sure that excessive salivation is not a sign of serious illness. To do this, contact your pediatrician. The pediatrician will examine the baby, if necessary, prescribe laboratory tests or refer you to narrow specialists to find out why the baby is drooling.

If the increased secretion of the salivary glands in the first year of life is associated with preparation for the growth of teeth or is simply a physiological age norm, then you can only arrange your care for the child so that abundant salivation does not cause him discomfort.

Wear waterproof bibs on the baby to protect his clothes from getting wet, and the skin underneath from hypothermia;
the process of swallowing saliva can become more effective if the newborn sucks on a pacifier;
if irritation has formed on the skin from the fact that the baby is drooling, lubricate the inflamed areas with Bepanten ointment or baby creams. containing retinol and vitamins F and E;
if the baby begins to cough or vomit due to the fact that saliva flows down the walls of the larynx, try to lay it on the tummy more often, and turn it on its side for sleep;
to reduce salivation in a two- or three-month-old baby associated with teething, give the baby special teething massagers with which he can soothe itching, and lubricate the gums with cooling anesthetic gels;
if the baby constantly pulls everything into his mouth, surround him only with clean objects that have undergone appropriate processing; such measures will help reduce profuse salivation.

"Why is the baby drooling?" This question worries many young parents. And this is good, because increased salivation can be a sign of a serious illness. Up to two years, the appearance of a large amount of saliva is the norm. At an older age, this should alert. It makes sense to further examine the child.

Hypersalivation (increased salivation) can occur in children of any age. Various reasons contribute to this. Here are the most common ones:

Why does a one month old baby drool? A month-old baby has a lot of saliva due to the immaturity of the nervous system. By 1.5 months, thanks to this process, this process is getting better, and saliva is released in a smaller volume. Often the cause of hypersalivation at this age are viral infections and allergic rhinitis. If the baby is very restless and does not sleep well, it is better to consult a pediatrician to rule out the presence of such diseases.
Why does a 2 month old baby drool? A 2-3 month old baby may have a lot of saliva during feeding, because he has not yet learned to swallow it.
The most common cause of excessive salivation is teething. If you notice that the baby has increased salivation, then this may be the first sign that he will soon have his first tooth. As a rule, at 6 months, but they can appear at 5 and 8 months.

Drooling in a child 2 years old: the main reasons

By the age of two, babies have most of their teeth. The nervous system works more smoothly than that of monthly crumbs. Therefore, the release of a large amount of saliva should alert you. What can it say?

Pathological processes in the oral cavity: stomatitis, viral sialadenitis, etc.
Violation of the central nervous system.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, poisoning.

To eliminate hypersalivation in children older than two years, it is necessary to act on the underlying cause. After the inflammatory processes are eliminated and the work of all organs and systems is adjusted, the amount of saliva secreted will decrease.

Increased salivation can also be a sign of a serious neurological disease - dysarthria. If you also notice that the baby cannot cope with solid food, it is difficult for him to fasten buttons and manage small objects, he has a “blurred” speech, urgently contact a neurologist or psychoneurologist. If your child is diagnosed with dysarthria, then medication, general and speech therapy massage, and sessions with a speech therapist will be necessary. The disease is difficult to correct, but it is possible to cope with it.

How to help the baby if he has increased salivation?

Regularly wipe the baby's mouth and face with a sterile handkerchief or soft cloth. Increased moisture in this area can cause microcracks, rashes, irritations, etc.
Wear a bib to your baby while feeding.
If saliva has begun to stand out due to teething, thoroughly wash all toys and objects that the baby pulls into her mouth.
If cracks appear on the lips and around the mouth, lubricate them with olive oil or baby cream. This will relieve irritation and contribute to the rapid healing of wounds.
On the street, give the child a pacifier - it will help him swallow saliva.
Lubricate your baby's gums with a cooling gel if saliva is associated with teething.

If the crumbs have other symptoms: fever, rash, runny nose, cough, then you should immediately consult a doctor.

Many parents are faced with a situation where a 3-4 month old baby begins to drool profusely. Why does the child drool, is this normal, and should I be worried about this?

What is saliva?

The salivary glands are formed by 2-3 months, it is during this period that parents notice that their baby is actively blowing bubbles. As a rule, the baby does not know how to swallow saliva, so it seems to the mother that there are too many of them.

In general, drooling is more important for an infant than for adults. They help them during the transition from breast milk to solid food, saliva moisturizes and softens it. Moreover, saliva contains enzymes that break down starch and turn it into easily digestible sugar.

It is also known that children in the infant period learn the world with the help of their mouth, they taste everything. In this case, saliva is also a protector against infections, which has bactericidal properties and kills germs.

Such healing properties of saliva are very important when. It moisturizes the baby's gums, which reduces soreness. After the teeth have already appeared, saliva begins to take care of them, washing away the remnants of food. And the alkaline reaction of saliva prevents the development of caries in a child.

Why is the baby drooling?

In fact, there are several reasons why a child may drool, both harmless and those in which you need to pay special attention to the baby.

1. The child is teething

If in the period from 4-7 months the child becomes restless, capricious, bites his hands, chews on hard objects and chews on clothes, then this condition is completely physiological and there is no medical intervention. It is enough to calm the baby, give him a pacifier. If the child refuses the pacifier, then offer him to chew a special teether.

2. Runny nose starts

If, in addition to increased salivation, the child has difficulty breathing through the nose, he sneezes and is naughty, and also refuses to eat, then these are the first signs of acute respiratory infections. Here it is already necessary to call a doctor and treat the baby accordingly. To alleviate the condition of the crumbs, you need to drip saline into his nose, and then clean the nose with an aspirator. In acute respiratory infections, increased salivation leads to irritation of the chin and lips. Therefore, they must be wiped more often with a soft cloth and lubricated.
baby cream.

3. Stomatitis develops (inflammation of the oral cavity)

In order to determine whether the baby has stomatitis or not, you need to carefully examine his mouth. If aphthae - white spots or sores - are visible on the palate, gums and tongue, then this is a direct sign of stomatitis. A high temperature may also rise. Ulcers with such inflammation are very painful, so the baby cannot chew and swallow. With stomatitis, repeated rinsing of the mouth with a pear with a solution of baking soda helps well. And the aphthas themselves must be treated with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green. Special treatment should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

The first cause of salivation in infants is a natural increase in the secretory activity of the salivary glands. They do not work at full strength, the saliva of very young children is viscous, and a little is released.

From about a month and a half, the glands in the mouth begin to function more intensively. The child does not yet have time to swallow the abundantly secreted liquid, so saliva flows out. Soon the mechanism of regulation of salivation becomes more mature, and the problem is solved by itself.

A little later, the child begins. The eruption of the first teeth is also accompanied by increased salivation. Due to itching in the gums, the child constantly pulls pens and various objects into his mouth, which further irritates the mucous membrane of the mouth and stimulates the activity of the salivary glands.

Usually, with the advent of the first tooth, saliva becomes noticeably less.

It is impossible not to take into account the bactericidal properties of saliva - since a lot of bacteria from the skin of the hands, teethers, rattles, and other objects enter the child's mouth, the body seeks to protect itself from pathogens, literally washing them off the mucous membrane.

Much less often, active salivation is the result of a disease - most often it is an allergy, a viral infection, or a lesion of the central nervous system. In such cases, other symptoms are usually present - nasal discharge in case of allergies and infections, impaired reflexes in diseases of the nervous system.

What to do with increased salivation?

Since they are not yet able to take care of themselves, parents will have to carefully monitor the child's condition and regularly wipe his mouth and chin dry so that the flowing saliva does not irritate the skin.

If, nevertheless, redness and peeling appear around the lips, ointments and creams with panthenol, which relieve irritation and stimulate skin regeneration, will help get rid of them.

Saliva can drip onto clothing, soaking the fabric. In order to avoid irritation under clothes because of this, it is best to put on “bibs” on the child for a while - collars with a waterproof lining.

A baby can choke on saliva in a dream and cough because of this - such a cough is not a sign of a disease and is not dangerous to health. If the cough continues during the day, accompanied by an increase in temperature, the child should be shown to the pediatrician to exclude infection.

If you have a tooth, massage his gums with a finger wrapped in a piece of sterile bandage, or apply a special gel on them - this will relieve itching and pain, and reduce saliva.

In this article:

Folk wisdom says: drooling flowed from the baby - teeth will soon come out. However, doctors do not share this statement, despite profuse salivation at 2-3 months, the first teeth usually appear after the sixth month.

Is it worth it to rush to the doctor and look for problems in excessive salivation?

Why saliva is needed

The salivary glands of a baby are capable of producing saliva while still in the womb. A couple of months after birth, salivation increases significantly. Thus, nature took care of protecting the child's body from various infections that enter the mouth.

Another useful quality of saliva that is worth noting is the breakdown of starch into sugar thanks to the special enzymes that make up its composition. This property has a positive effect on the digestion of food that enters the baby's stomach. And less painful teething is also her merit.

Salivation is increased

Despite the above, there are times when increased salivation should be paid close attention. Drooling in a 2 month old baby may be more likely to be associated with a runny nose than teething. If the baby, with abundant salivation, also breathes through the mouth, this may indicate a nose clogged with snot. If there is no runny nose, and the baby is drooling, why not examine his mouth to exclude the presence of sores or inflammation of the oral cavity.

Closer to 6 months, the baby's salivation can really increase, this will be the first evidence of the imminent appearance of the first teeth. Effectively wetting the gums, saliva reduces the pain caused by teething. During this period, pay closer attention to the dryness of clothes - frequent change of blouses and the use of a bib are more relevant than ever.

If there is irritation on the chin from excess moisture, it is necessary to lubricate the delicate skin of the baby several times a day with a cream with vitamins A or E.

Do not forget that a 3-month-old baby drools like a river also because he does not know how to swallow them, and salivation seems to be increased for parents.

When to rush to the doctor

If the baby is characterized by profuse salivation, mothers can hear: wheezing in the chest or a strong cough. In this case, to exclude a viral infection, it is worth contacting a pediatrician. If coughing and wheezing are due to the fact that a 2-month-old baby is drooling, but it happens that they sometimes accumulate in the larynx, it is quite often to spread the crumbs on the tummy.

It is also worth rushing to the doctor because of increased salivation if you suspect the presence of inflammation, stomatitis, and thrush.

After examining the baby, the pediatrician will answer why the baby is drooling. Sometimes very serious diseases can be behind harmless saliva. This may be hypersalivation - increased salivation, which is associated with damage to the central nervous system and even with the presence of mental illness. A head injury or the presence of a brain tumor can lead to a strong secretion of saliva.

Do not be afraid of increased salivation, most often it is just a physiological feature of the baby. Sometimes there are opposite cases - lack of saliva. Not many children suffer from high temperatures during the period of tooth growth, but still there are cases when the temperature rises above 38-39 degrees. It may also be due to a lack of salivary fluid. Do not worry about this, but be sure to consult a doctor. You may have to spend several days in the hospital under the supervision of doctors.

If a baby is drooling at 3 months old, eliminate the factors that require the intervention of a doctor, buy bibs, stock up on disposable napkins and teethers, and wait until the baby outgrows. Please note that this healthy physiological process can accompany a child up to one and a half years.