Speech and language therapy for drooling

[wingingit987]

My toddler has dribbled or drooled since I can remember. All of his teeth have come through now and i know it isn't teething anymore and I have had dentist double check all teeth are through and healthy.

We've spoken to the doctor about the dribbling a few times and this time they have decided to refer him to a speech and language therapist. I wouldn't say that he's advanced for his age but can def tell me what he wants and sometime struggles to answer questions.

Has anyone ever been referred to the speech and language therapist for drooling and if so anything I can do at home to help while we're waiting for an appointment?

I found the Talk Tools programme helpful. It is all about mouth muscle control so should help. You can by the tools online and there are instructions on how to use. We worked through the horn and straw kits with our son although our SALT initially introduced them. If you don't want to pay for them activities that involve sucking through straws and blowing should help.
www.eg-training.co.uk/index.php?page=detail&product=5000011&category=Kits

If I understand right, "speech and language therapist" is a bit of a misnomer - they actually covered everything involving motor control of the mouth. For example, there was a newborn in NICU while DD was there that saw a speech and language therapist for poor sucking ability - clearly no one was expecting the three-day-old to be talking!

The GP may think that the dribbling is caused by how your DS holds his tongue or lips or something like that, and that the therapist can help. It's a bit bad that they didn't explain it to you though!

Just to add to what @CoalCraft my Mum who is in her 70s has been referred to SaLT for an issue she has developed with swallowing. SaLT are like physio for facial muscles.