Acute laryngitis in young children

Acute laryngitis in young children under 3 years of age is a very serious and dangerous disease - even for life. Children's larynx reacts without any problems to infection with mucosal edema, especially in the subglottic area. Therefore, this type of disease is called subglottic laryngitis (pseudokrup). Children who are prone to so-called blemishes.

What is acute laryngitis in young children?

Laryngitis in children looks quite different than in adults, if only because the larynx in a child is located a little higher, and under the mucosa there is a lot of loose connective tissue that likes to undergo edema. Adults usually take treatment at home, while in children the situation looks a bit different - sometimes hospital treatment is necessary. In extreme cases, you need to intubate your child so that it does not become strangled. Therefore, this type of discomfort is very dangerous for young children because it can even threaten life. Laryngitis in young children is often referred to as subglottic inflammation of the larynx, because the larynx reacts easily to infections with mucosal edema in the subglottic region.

Swelling in the laryngitis very clearly hinders breathing. Depending on the age, various types of laryngitis appear. Nevertheless, the shortness of breath experienced by the child should be an indication for consulting the doctor as soon as possible.

Symptoms of laryngitis in young children

Symptoms usually appear suddenly. These are:

1. ·         barking cough,
2. ·         glottic larynx
3. ·         shortness of breath when inhaling,
4. ·         anxiety,
5. ·         elevated temperature.

The above-mentioned symptoms develop quickly and threaten life. It is important to consult an ENT doctor as soon as possible.

Causes of acute laryngitis in young children

Acute laryngitis in young children usually occurs due to viruses (less frequently bacteria). Sometimes the condition is allergic, but it can also be a consequence of an unwell cold.

Types of laryngitis in children

1. Acute subglottic laryngitis in children. It comes from sub-volume, which in young children is the narrowest part of the larynx, and in its walls you can find a lot of tissue, which can be easily infected and subject to edema (this causes a narrowing of the airways). Subtritum laryngitis usually occurs in children from 4 months to 6 years. Most cases fall into the autumn and winter period. The condition quite often precedes the rhinitis of the upper respiratory tract.

Symptoms indicative of acute subglottic laryngitis are:

• shortness of breath,
• hoarseness,
• audible wheezing (due to edema constricting larynx),
• barking cough.

Because the symptoms of the disease appear suddenly and you may experience dangerous breathlessness, a medical visit and even hospitalization are necessary. The treatment of this condition depends on the patient's condition. If the dyspnea is very severe, a small patient undergoes intubation in the hospital, which involves releasing the airways by placing the tube in them.

In addition, the treatment is important:

• proper hydration of a small patient,
• humidifying rooms in which the child is staying,
• airing rooms,
• administration of anti-inflammatory preparations (e.g. ibuprofen),
• administration of mucolytic agents,
• the use of inhalation from saline,
• administration of steroids (in children with dyspnoea) - most often by intramuscular or intravenous route.

If your child has symptoms and his condition worsens - do not wait and call an ambulance. Until the arrival of help, please calm down the child and open all windows to ventilate the rooms.

Warning! Subthroat laryngitis is a viral disease that can develop into otitis media, lungs and even bronchitis. Do not ignore this discomfort.

2. Acute epiglottitis. This is a condition that usually occurs in children between the ages of two and seven. The reason for its occurrence are bacteria, usually Haemophilus influenzae type b. Inflammation attacks the epiglottis, which undergoes severe congestion and edema, which in turn leads to obstruction of the airways. This ailment is characterized by quite a rapid course and worsening of breathing.

The symptoms are:

• an audible whistle while inhaling the air,
• swallowing problems that end in choking,
• severe sore throat,
• shortness of breath, which quickly builds up,
• salivation,
• changed voice color,
• wet cough,
• fever, which once falls and once it grows (especially in the case of serious infections),
• paleness,
• sweating.

Treatment

For children with epiglottitis, an ambulance should be called. It is necessary to open the airways through intubation. In addition, the child is given antibiotics, which have a broad spectrum of activity and analgesics. It should be remembered that the epiglottis does not make jokes, because it is a serious condition that may be life-threatening. You can reduce the risk of becoming ill by vaccinating your child against Haemophilus influenzae type b.

3. Acute laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis. It usually occurs in children from 6 months to 3 years old (but relatively rarely). The ailment has a viral origin, and during its duration on the mucous membrane of the trachea, larynx and bronchi appear erosions and thick and sticky secretions.

How is laryngitis manifested in a child?

• dyspnoea,
• high temperature,
• hoarseness,
• wet cough (barking),
• dense secretion difficult to choke.

How to treat?

Treatment of laryngitis is based on giving children intravenous preparations and bronchospasm (this cannot be done at home). However, you can use patting or expectorants, but it is a supplementary method of treatment. The condition of the child deteriorates gradually, therefore the diagnosis is made by the pediatrician, who in turn directs the little patient to the hospital. When you hear your chest, you may hear a murmur because the infection also attacks the bronchi.

During hospitalization, the child is subjected to bronchoscopy, which aims to clear the airways and is irrigated. In addition, he is given expectorants and antibiotics (if it comes to secondary bacterial superinfections).

In over 90% of cases, secondary airway inflammation is usually responsible for the symptom of upper respiratory tract infection in the form of dyspnea. Small children are more often hospitalized and intubated to avoid suffocation. Parents should remember that in any case, the child should be examined by a doctor who will assess what treatment it requires.

How to prevent acute laryngitis in young children?

The following are practical tips that will reduce the risk of your child's laryngitis.

1. The rooms in which the child is staying should be systematically ventilated - especially during the heating season; You can buy a special thermometer that measures the humidity and warns us when the air humidity is too low. You can also invest in an air humidifier.

2. Avoid smoking cigarettes with children and staying with them in smoky rooms.

3. Eliminate from the environment irritating factors and those that may sensitize the child, such as dust, animal fur, harmful fumes.

4. Invest in an inhaler. It is a special device that, when connected to electricity, changes the liquid into a mist due to the pressure generated. The mist may be inhaled using the supplied mask adjusted to the size of the child. The inhaler is especially recommended in children with laryngitis, because it facilitates direct administration of the drug and is a better version of intramuscular administration of injections that often cause crying in the child. Currently, there are a variety of child-friendly devices of this type on the market, with interesting shapes and colors.