Clinical Approach to A Case of Stridor in Paediatric Age Group

Stridor is a common paediatric problem. It is quite common during winter season as a result of acute laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis and spasmodic croup, it is important for the clinician to classify noisy breathing and to elicit a description of the sound to be enabled to determine whether the sounds emanate from the upper respiratory tract (Stridor, snoring snorting) or lower respiratory tract (wheeze) and whether they occur predominantly during expiration or inspiration. Stridor is caused by extra thoracic, inspiratory dynamic narrowing of the airway in the oropharynx, glottis or Subglottic region or mid-trachea. Stridor and wheeze may co-exist in the presence of mid tracheal obstruction. Expiratory Stridor may accompany inspiratory Stridor if obstruction is extreme. Airway obstruction resulting in stridor in children is a common presentation to pediatrician and Otolaryngologist and can be due to various causes. Infective, neoplastic, congenital and traumatic lesions can cause acute airway obstruction and stridor. In this article the need of clinical workup to establish a diagnosis is highlighted by describing the clues and hints of pathophysiology of the airway in a child with respiratory symptoms especially stridor to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Stridor; Wheezing; Stertor; Snoring; Croup