Introduction
Physical Examination
Differential Diagnosis
History
Xrays
Specific Diseases
References
Other Lectures
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The differential diagnosis of stridor is lengthy. When confronted with a stridorous child, it is most helpful to ask two questions - the age of the patient and the duration of symptoms. The answer to these questions will narrow the differential diagnosis considerably. A child under 6 months old with a long duration of symptoms (weeks to months) characteristically has a congenital cause of stridor, most commonly laryngomalacia. Most of these diseases present in the newborn nursery or pediatrician's office and are not emergency problems.
The patient over 6 months of age with a relatively short duration of symptoms (hours to days) usually has an acquired cause of stridor. This may be inflammatory or noninflammatory. The most common acquired causes of stridor - epiglottitis, viral croup, foreign body aspiration and retropharyngeal abscess - will be discussed separately.
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