Mouth open all the time!

[ChocolateC]

This is a weird question, but my boy has his mouth open ALL the TIME. At first I thought maybe he's just teething or has a cold but even when he's healthy, his mouth is open. It's been this way since he was an infant and he's 13 months.

Should I be worried?
Has anyone else seen this with their babies?

Thanks!

 

[xdxxtx]

I always touch my babies' lips to close them when they leave them open so they don't get into this habit. My nephew had this habit, and he's now 14 and still leaves his mouth hanging open! lol. If your LO isn't breathing from his mouth, it's probably just a habit for your LO, too.

 

[ChocolateC]

Yikes, I always assumed he'd start closing it eventually...I'm just hoping it's not some kind of hidden medical issue.

 

[Weebles]

My DH is a mouth breather and I noticed that our little one has her mouth open too.. I also close her mouth for her in hopes it won't become a habit...

 

[ChocolateC]

Mine won't let me close his mouth. He sticks his tongue a little bit out, almost like he's feeling his front teeth all the time. Can't close it! Argh, does this mean he'll walk around his whole life like this???

 

[minties]

Gosh, can't say I have ever come across this! What does his health care provider say? Thomas used to have an open mouth as a very brand new baby, but only for the first week or two.

 

[superfrizbee]

You could ask your health visitor or equivalent. It might be a bit early to think about speech but if he also has a speech delay it could potentially be some kind of oral motor weakness that might need some speech therapy. It's probably not, but worth querying now none the less.

Edit: My son has a speech disorder and is hypotonic in his mouth so forgive me for jumping to the negative, it's just something I'm cautious about.

 

[xdxxtx]

Heres another one...... I always say that my tongue is too big for my mouth. It pushes against my teeth hard, and I have ridges all over it from the pressure. My teeth are perfect, but my poor tongue is ugly. Not cute like everyone else's but really ridgy and ...ugly! Maybe your child's tongue is too big for their mouth, too. This one is a little more far fetched, but it feels really nice for my tongue to be sticking out a little, as it takes the pressure away. I remember being a kid, and my mom constantly reminding me to shut my mouth. I don't keep my mouth open or stick my tongue out now when I'm awake, but if I'm really tired, I do sleep with my tongue sticking out a little.

 

[ChocolateC]

Maybe his tongue is really too big! He doesn't seem to have a speech disorder--his babbling is appropriate, and he's spoken a few words so far--but he doesn't really talk yet so who knows.

 

[minties]

I'm thinking more along the lines of something going on in his nasal passages. Does he mouth breathe? You really need ro breathe through your nose to catch stuff that shouldn't be going into the lungs. I would think an ear nose and throat specialist might be helpful?

 

[Becky1987]

My son has as enlarged tonsils and he's waiting to get them taken out along with his adenoids, he has his mouth open with his tongue out so he can breath as he can't through his nose. He also snores like an old man because of the tonsils.

 

[Left wonderin]

I was just going to say this adenoids and tonsils can block the nose cavity to to breath you have to keep your mount open . Work speaking to a health care professional about this one I'd say. Keep us posted

 

[ChocolateC]

I have also been wondering about his nose and/or tonsils. Our family doctor thought he looked fine at the 12-month checkup but I may go back to ask again, or get a referral to a specialist. He doesn't snore. I can see his tonsils when he yawns but don't know what to look for.