Stridor is considered one of the diseases that appear in children under 3 to 4 years of age, and it is caused by infection with a number of viruses.
Some children may suffer from three to four episodes of stridor, and this does not indicate a serious problem, but it is preferable to consult a doctor on the matter.
Most of the time, episodes of stridor stop as the child grows, as their respiratory tracts grow and widen, and stridor is considered rare after the age of 7 years.
The difference between Stridor and Epiglottitis
The acute obstruction in the respiratory tracts resulting from a bacterial epiglottitis infection is sometimes confused with stridor caused by a viral infection.
The differences between the two diseases lie in the following:
Children infected with epiglottitis find greater difficulty in breathing than children suffering from stridor.
Children are given a vaccine against the bacteria causing epiglottitis; therefore, this disease is considered very rare.
Epiglottitis does not usually resolve as a result of using simple methods that relieve coughing in the case of stridor.
In case of suspecting the presence of epiglottitis, one must head to receive immediate medical treatment.
Symptoms of Stridor
The symptoms of stridor in a child are highly terrifying, to the extent that they lead to panic, and they may include the following:
Inability to inhale air.
Coughing with a strange sound.
Enlargement and swelling in the larynx, or what is called croup.
Discharge of secretions from the larynx.
Laryngotracheobronchitis.
Causes and Risk Factors of Stridor
The main cause of stridor in children is a viral infection that narrows the respiratory airways, and it may occur for other reasons such as the growth of a subglottic hemangioma.
Children in general are more susceptible to developing stridor because their respiratory airways are narrow.
Complications of Stridor
The main complication associated with stridor is the possibility of a complete obstruction of the respiratory airway and apnea (cessation of breathing).
Diagnosis of Stridor
The doctor asks about the child's medical and disease history, and also asks about the nature of the symptoms appearing on the patient, and sometimes imaging tests are performed to find out the location of the obstruction.
Treatment of Stridor
It is important to treat the stridor episode immediately; to avoid the cessation of breathing in the patient, and this is done through the following:
Using humidifiers, preferably cool mist, and if breathing is very difficult, the child can be taken into the bathroom and the hot water turned on in the bathroom until a cloud of steam forms; the child usually improves quickly and visibly within a quarter of an hour.
Exposing the child to cold air, whether by standing in front of the freezer compartment of the refrigerator while it is open, or moving in the car while leaving the windows open.
Ensuring that the child remains calm and not putting them in a state of stress, tension, or fear, and the necessity of knowing that crying increases the severity of these spasms and exacerbates them.
Holding the child in the arms, as it may give them a good feeling, and it may alleviate the spasms and contractions of the respiratory tracts.
If a noticeable improvement in the child's condition does not appear within the first quarter of an hour, one must head to an emergency center or the emergency room in the hospital immediately; and in the event of a noticeable improvement with the problem continuing for more than one hour, one should head to the private doctor.
What is expected to happen at the doctor's?
Prevention of Stridor
In reality, there is no clear way to prevent the occurrence of stridor.