Symptoms - Respiratory Illness in Children

Respiratory Illness

Symptoms

·        Differential of dyspnoea

o   Heart failure

o   Cerebral hypoxia

o   Metabolic acidosis

o   Respiratory Causes

·        Differential of Stridor: 

o   Retropharyngeal abscess: lymph nodes in midline behind pharynx, usually under 4 years, mainly strep, maybe staph aureus. Acute toxicity, hyper-extended, quiet stridor, CT diagnostic

o   Croup

o   Epiglottitis

o   Foreign Body

o   Angio-oedema

o   Peritonsillar abscess 

o   Laryngomalacia: noisy breathing due to floppy larynx from birth, especially inspiratory, crying or exertion 

o   Tracheomalacia: soft tracheal cartilages: Brassy cough (honking).  May get severe obstruction 

o   Adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy: reaches peak at 8 – 10 years, but relatively largest at 5 – 6. Snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. Acutely enlarged ® stridor (eg in EBV – treat with steroids)