My 4 year old nephew constantly slobbers. How can I get him to stop?

Question

When he's with me and my mom we constantly tell him to wipe his mouth but my mom has gotten to the point where she's just mean about it. She won't let him sit on her couch and makes him feel bad about it. What do I do to help him stop?

Answer 1

In my unprofessional experience, many kids slobber because certain muscles of their mouths are not yet adequately developed. Is your nephew speech-delayed at all? Was he late to eat solid food? Does he see a speech therapist? My kid was all that, and he was slobbery. On his therapist's suggestion, for treat, we made him thick milk shakes and made him drink them through a straw. His pucker muscles developed, and the drooling stopped. In the interim, we taught him to wipe his chin with his shirt sleeve. Other exercises we got him into was chewing gum, and gummy bears, blowing out candles, playing with whistles, and that little thinga-ma-bob that looks like a pipe for smoking but with a basket and a little ball on the end. When you blow through the pipe, the ball floats (remember that?). You get the idea. His mouth muscles may be weak, allowing the saliva to run out. Also try training him to swallow more. Remind him: "swallow," "wipe your chin." He'll figure it out.

Your mother isn't helping anyone, by the way (but don't get me started on that). Adults can be kids' worst enemies.

Answer 2

my cousin had this problem... he just had to out grow it.

Some children for whatever reason just produce more saliva than others, but generally by grade school they can keep up with it.

Just encourage him to swallow... some kids also (especially boys) for whatever reason dont think to swallow when they need to :)

I would also speak with your sister/brother, and see about sitting down with your mother and hashing this out. She can seriously damage his self confidence and hinder his development because she's too busy being selfish about her things and her feelings on his drooliness. It needs to be addressed for the sake of the child.

Answer 3

well i had the some problem while i was little. i think you should put a napkin or something under his shirt and when he starts to slobber, tell him to turn arond, and wip his mouth.

Answer 4

might want to take the young man to the doctor first to see if it is something else first then if no diagnoses is made then something else should be done ..it is possible he is seeking attention ...and hostile attention is better than no attention at all

Answer 5

tell him if!! you dont stop slobbering im gonna spank you first ill bring you somewhere i can spank you