Sudden Drooling and Food Refusal at Snack Time

Case overview

Ari Patel is halfway through sliced pears when he pushes the plate away. His mother, Priya, wipes his chin and notices he is drooling more than usual. He will not take another bite, and he cannot tell her what feels wrong. The living room looks exactly as it did before snack time—until Priya sees his older cousin searching the rug for something small. Priya starts replaying the afternoon: who had been in the room, what was within reach, and when Ari first changed. A sore mouth could explain a lot. So could a dozen ordinary toddler moments. But this feels too sudden to dismiss. She has to decide what information matters now and what kind of help would need the clearest, fastest version of the story. The case begins before she knows what the missing piece means.