Is this worthy of an A&E trip? Excessive drooling

[Flake123]

My DS 2 1/2 started crying whilst playing in the living room whilst I was preparing lunch today. When I entered the room he was pointing at his mouth, no blood, slight swelling round his lips. Asked if he had jumped, if his brother had hit him, anything in his mouth (couldn’t see anything) but nothing. Wouldn’t speak and was just crying instead.

He has since been crying on and off all afternoon,barely slept during his daytime nap, didn’t have lunch or dinner and has only sipped some water. He is constantly drooling all day and has needed to change top x3.

I’ve given him calpol to help with the pain and have given both a hot and cold press. He preferred the hot press.

I’m worried about him sleeping tonight as he still has excessive drooling and I will worry about him choking on his drool.

Does this warrant a trip to A&E? Every time I call 111 they always tell me just to go to A&E regardless of how minor the illness / injury. Would a chemist be able to help with anything?

I was worried he may have swallowed a toy that’s lodged in throat which is causing the drooling but he isn’t coughing or touching his throat etc. Everything in his mouth appears normal. I can’t see anywhere that is swollen or red.

He has never cried as much as this though so my mum alarm bells are ringing!

Could he have been stung?

Yes, wasp sting was my first thought too.

Any chance he could have swallowed a button battery? Please take him to A&E.

I agree, it sounds like a sting. I'd go to A&E to be on the safe side.

@BabbleBee

Could he have been stung?

Hmmm… I don’t think so. He was in a room that didn’t have any windows open. My DS and his brother are very afraid and aware of any fly/ wasp/ bee in the house and would normally scream/ make a big commotion if they noticed one in the room. I’ve just checked the room and can’t see any insects and can’t see any sting bites anywhere.

Bless him he is really in pain and hungry but can’t eat. I think I will need to call 111 especially as he can’t eat.

Don't delay, you know your child best. Go to A&E, soon as you can.

Definitely take him, whatever it is he's in pain and he needs to be checked out. Don't mess about with the mouth and throat.

Yes I think it warrants him being seen.
Hope he is better soon OP.

I'd go straight to A&E at this point for such a young one. 111 can take hours to call back and in my experience small children normally get seen quickly at A&E.

I wonder if he has bashed a tooth somehow ?

Yes excessive drooling is worth an a&e trip to check there's nothing lodged in his throat or any swelling there.

It could also be the onset of hand foot and mouth

Also my son will dribble constantly with tonsillitis, it's usually the first clue. He will go off food, dribble uncontrollably, and then the raging temperature will come. He has ASD though and doesn't show pain or discomfort as a NT child would.

Definitely go to A&E. It sounds like a bad reaction to something that could change quickly.

I took DH to the hospital in the middle of the night once when he had similar. He was in his 30s. So I would definitely take a child without hesitation. (I am usually the unsympathetic parent who sends their kids into school with everything)

I can think of a list of reasons I'd want a child like yours examined in A&E, some more likely than others. A couple of the fairly unlikely ones are pretty serious. Hope you can get him seen and be reassured.

Because you don't know why its happening and he's crying id take him to get looked at.

Yes agree, doesn't sound quite right. Hope you get sorted.

Do not call 111 , go straight to A&E and ask for an Xray to ensure its not a battery.
Please do not delay.

Get him to A&E, trust your instinct and hope all is ok

Don't bother with 111, excessive drooling can be linked to a severe illness (epiglottitis) and they won't take a risk and will either send an ambulance or tell you to go to a&e, I'd just go yourself now

It sounds like he's bashed or bitten his lip. Drooling because he doesn't want to swallow because his lips sore. You said his lips were a bit swollen and he was pointing at his mouth. Doesn't want to eat cos its sore. Does he have an ulcer? Or a torn frenum/cut something like that. Or bashed his teeth.

At the end of the day if you are unsure it's worth getting him checked over. It's probably nothing to worry about but because there's nothing to indicate what happened I'd get him checked over

I would also go to a&e

Hope all is ok, these kids like to worry us

I’d definitely take him to A&E. Always better safe than sorry.

Hopefully it's something and nothing but I'd definitely have him checked over x

Yes go to A&E. It could be strep throat. I had it badly one time and it was a lot of pain and got to the point I couldn’t swallow my saliva and I was drooling on myself. I couldn’t eat. Drinking barely anything would get down my throat and it hurt like swallowing fire.

Poor little mite, probably something and nothing but always worth getting checked for something like that.