Non stop spitting!

Total empathy! Your situation sounds exactly the same as that being experienced by our family. We are all really struggling with this aspect of my grandson's autism. He is three years old, non-verbal, and he constantly spits. It is getting worse. Initially it was at meal times, but now it's any time. It's usually when he is in a neutral state, so not upset or happy. It isn't aggressive, or "fired" out of his mouth. He'll lean over and just let the spit slowly flow from his mouth. It's so frustrating as he's ruining furniture. It makes it very difficult to go anywhere with him. We've been told conflicting messages in terms of ignoring it in terms of not making any reaction, and just calmly wipe it up, to telling him it's wrong. There doesn't seem to be any clear-cut advice as to what to do. I don't think it's linked to excessive saliva in his mouth, and it doesn't appear to be any kind of replacement communication method, as he'll do it on his own when no-one else is about. It's as though it's something he's discovered he can do, so he just does it.

I'm very surprised at the lack of responses on the forum. I've not been on the forum for a while, and it was this problem that has brought me back to it. I was expecting this to be a very common trait, but it appears not. Nothing for four years before your post.

Please update in due course if you establish anything in terms of things that might help, to any firm advice you receive. I'll certainly do the same. 

Thanks.

Total empathy! Your situation sounds exactly the same as that being experienced by our family. We are all really struggling with this aspect of my grandson's autism. He is three years old, non-verbal, and he constantly spits. It is getting worse. Initially it was at meal times, but now it's any time. It's usually when he is in a neutral state, so not upset or happy. It isn't aggressive, or "fired" out of his mouth. He'll lean over and just let the spit slowly flow from his mouth. It's so frustrating as he's ruining furniture. It makes it very difficult to go anywhere with him. We've been told conflicting messages in terms of ignoring it in terms of not making any reaction, and just calmly wipe it up, to telling him it's wrong. There doesn't seem to be any clear-cut advice as to what to do. I don't think it's linked to excessive saliva in his mouth, and it doesn't appear to be any kind of replacement communication method, as he'll do it on his own when no-one else is about. It's as though it's something he's discovered he can do, so he just does it.

I'm very surprised at the lack of responses on the forum. I've not been on the forum for a while, and it was this problem that has brought me back to it. I was expecting this to be a very common trait, but it appears not. Nothing for four years before your post.

Please update in due course if you establish anything in terms of things that might help, to any firm advice you receive. I'll certainly do the same. 

Thanks.

This all started happening about 3 and half months ago, spitting here and there a few times during the day just on the floor it progressively got worse over the span of a couple of weeks to the point now it is constant and he will aim at you! Feel like we have tried everything at this point and fear this may never go away which is very daunting! We can not go anywhere at the moment i even feel guilty putting him on the school bus and collecting him from school as i know he is spitting on them, i also don’t feel he is producing too much saliva as i have seen him go for hour baths with no spitting but feel i may need to resort to being seen by the doctor as i am out of ideas on what to do but even that i am nervous to go i to a doctors waiting room with him as i know he will be spitting, its all just a big nightmare.