Why is my dc (4) salivating so excessively?

[BornThisCrazy]

For over a week now dc (4) has had this awful problem, after a whole series of occurences. It basically started last Monday, he was sent home early afternoon from nursery with a raging fever and we dosed him up with calpol and he was asleep on and off until evening. After waking him up in the evening to give him a bite to eat, I noticed a swelling on his forehead and enquired about it, he told me he fell at nursery off the slide - which we were not informed of - and it got me incredibly worried incase the fever etc was to do with the fall.

Anyway we were advised to take him to A & E, doctor checked him over, claimed dc's head is fine and fever is most likely due to an infection, also dc's glands seemed swollen and throat was rather red. He gave us some ibuprofen and sent us on our way.

Since the hospital trip however, dc is producing an incredible amount of saliva. He will not swallow and gathers it in his mouth, until he has to spit it out, this is happening frequently throughout the day, every 5-15 minutes. Occasionally, every two minutes, just constantly running to the kitchen bin. Its like as though he is gargling with water and spitting, the amount is that much. Its driving me around the bend, as he isnt really eating, managing a few bites after plenty of coaxing, and even then half of it ends up being spat out as he says he cant eat it because of the 'water' (ie saliva).

Dc is drinking shedloads of cordial (totally gone off water, milk etc) yet not doing much urine considering the amount he is drinking. He was a sobbing mess yesterday, saying he doesnt know why he has to keep spitting and how he is sick of it :( it broke my heart, as I know he isnt doing this deliberately.

I have a suspicion now that it may stem from his top front tooth, as he says he cant eat if the food/spoon touches the tooth as it 'hurts very bad' but other times it doesnt hurt him. Ive checked, and the tooth doesnt seem wobbly at all (yet) but could it be the reason he is overproducing saliva?

Dc has a dentist appointment tomorrow, (trip to the GP was pointless and a waste of time), and I am hoping we can get to the bottom of this. We have had a whole week of him off nursery, and cannot go anywhere despite the nice weather, as he keeps needing to spit. Oh and if I step in another pool of drool I. Will. Scream. sigh he has been pretty quiet all week, which is due to his mouth always full of the saliva, he accidentally swallowed it this morning and was overjoyed and dead proud of himself.

Thoughts, advice anybody? I am desperate.

Infection in the mouth or inflammation of the mucous membranes are suggested cause for the excessive salivation here so I hope the dentist is better able to pick up on any potential infection/inflammation than the GP has been!

Your Ds may have an abscess under his tooth; if he fell and bumped his head, he may have also knocked his teeth at the same time, which could have caused inflammation in the gum/jaw.

FX you get a good dentist.

Thank you so much for your reply yesterday. I kept in mind what you wrote in case the dentist brushed us off, but luckily he is absolutely brilliant and was very thorough. He even checked dc's eyes, armpit glands, chest and told me it seems to be a herpes simplex virus called herpetic gingivostomatitis. symptoms are everything dc has had, fever, excessive drooling, swollen glands, blisters in the mouth (poor kid, I didnt even know he had them but dentist said thst was ehy he cried when eating) and decreased appetite. it will clear up itself so just a matter of waiting. He did insist on a blood test too as dc is very pale and gaunt looking at the moment.

Check his tonsils. My DS had a bad case of tonsillitis which was called Quinsy It's where an abscess forms underneath the inflamed tonsils. Does he have a pain in his neck? and does he struggle to swallow any food?

oh I'm so pleased your dentist was so good!

Bit of a bugger that it's viral though, and a herpes virus at that - does that mean it's going to be a recurrent problem, like cold sores are?

I hope he recovers very quickly though, poor boy! xx

oh I'm so pleased your dentist was so good!

Bit of a bugger that it's viral though, and a herpes virus at that - does that mean it's going to be a recurrent problem, like cold sores are?

I hope he recovers very quickly though, poor boy! xx

Oo! no idea why that double posted, how odd!

carcikotab ouch. Your poor ds. The dentist had a good look in dc's throat but didnt mention anything wrong with his tonsils. He hasnt complained of throat pain, he has loss of appetite and swollen glands but no difficulty swallowing. The real problem has been chewing due to the blisters and the constant production of saliva which he has to keep spittting out even whilst eating.

Thumbwitch yes its a form of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) and lives in the nerve cells for life, triggered by illness, fatigue, stress etc. As this is the first occrrence, it will not be as severe next time and from what I undersrand, and I could be wrong, it will be like normal cold sores from now on? Will have to clarify with dentist next week. But anyway, apparently many kids up to the age of 5 get this, its quite common, but its not always as noticeable and severe.