6 year old drooling some and may have some social development delays

[Mom2Ashley]

I have a 6 year old daughter who was born 4 weeks early and suffered an extremely traumatic birth.  I was in labor for 24 hours or so and actually pushed for about ELEVEN hours.  Yes, 11 hours.  Turns out she was stuck (head down, facing sideways).  No one would listen to me that something was wrong and denied me a c-section. I knew something was wrong because I had a pain separate from contractions that would not go away. Doctor turned her around with her hands for 1 and a half hours and then 15 minutes with forceps to RIP her out of me.  At that time, the placenta came out with her.  How long was she without oxygen, we don't know.  Also, the cord was wrapped around her neck twice.   She suffered dramatic blood pressure drops and rises just prior to delivery. At four weeks early she was 8 lbs. 10 oz.  She had to stay in the neonatal icu for 1 week due to juandice.  She developed normally except for some pooping issues (really constipated) and a slow-developing sucking instinct.  She outgrew both of those.  BUT, she still drools quite a bit, enough that the school kids tease her.  And she just doesn't seem to be like the other kids; she has a hard time making and keeping friends.  I can't put my finger on it, though.  I thought it might be ADHD but that just doesn't seem right. She was born 8/16/2000 and was not held back when entering Kindergarten.  So, she is the youngest in her 1st grade class, and technically, if she would have been born on time, she'd only be in Kindergarten, not first grade. Thus, she has been labed as socially inmature.  Is that all it is, or I should be worried about possible brain damage from birth?  I worry about this because her first pediatrician told me of his nephew who had a traumatic birth and wasn't diagnosed with cerebal palsy until he was seven years old.  Please help, thanks!

[momtojackw]

A related discussion, 3 year old boy Excessive Drooling was started.

[anna09]

A related discussion, 6 year old drooling. everyone says it normal,is it? was started.

[Makuahine2007]

i can relate to your situation.  i have a precious 4 year old son who has not stopped drooling.  i took him to an ENT specialist and she insisted that his adenoids were blocking 85% of his nasal breathing and his tonsils were blocking 50% of his throat way, a possibility for his excessive drooling.
he did have them out 4 days ago, and is currently healing as i type you this letter.  his throat / swallowing discomfort is causing him to drool like a waterfall.  i do know this is normal throughout the healing period, but am anxious to see if it was truly the cause of his drooling.  i will let you know.

his drooling has caused him some social skill problems in preschool, and he has all of a sudden become so shy and such a "mommy's boy", when in fact prior to preschool, he was such an assertive and sociable little guy (drooling and all).  he had some speech therapy for a year, but it has not helped him at all.

my son is a BIG guy...he is 4 yrs old and 52 lbs.  he was breeched inutero and was delivered by c-section.  his sucking reflexes were normal and never had any problems with feeding.  his main problem was projectile vomiting after bottle feedings...i thought it was gas or inability to take in dairy.  i switched him over to soy, and he was okay...

slight CP crossed my mind as well, but will go with adenoids and tonsils unless it does not work, and i will get more tests done.   my son is very very bright and has a sharp memory.  his gross motor skills are a little awkward due to his size, but he is a typical little 4 year old who loves to count, be read to (even recalls stories, characters, etc..), dramatic play, etc.  his self-concious state has hindered his ability to express himself socially in preschool.  it saddens and worries me, because i know what he is capable of.

let's keep in touch...and i will let you know how he does.

aloha from hawaii,

makuahine2007

[Lorileah]

Have you thought about taking her to a Chiropractor?  Please do.  Allot of time the spine may be out of allignment and cause certain problems.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

You are correct in thinking that your daughter's situation is not indicative of ADHD. If she is indeed immature, repeating the grade might be a very useful plan. It might be prudent at this point to arrange a developmental evaluation so that you will learn about her developmental progress in all areas: motor, cognitive, social emotional. With the trauma involved in her birth, there would be reason to worry about brain damage, though her very early development offered some reassurance.