Laryngitis in children: characteristic symptoms, treatment, possible complications. Laryngeal stenosis in children: symptoms and treatment Stenosis in children first aid

Everyone is accustomed to the fact that children often cough and suffer from a runny nose during the cold season. Children's immunity is imperfect and cannot provide adequate protection against respiratory infections. But you shouldn’t take these symptoms lightly, as they can be harbingers of laryngeal stenosis in children.

This serious condition is a complication of seemingly banal diseases. Therefore, every parent should know how to help their child in case of stenosis.

Description of the pathology

Laryngeal spasm in children is a significant narrowing of the airway. Because of it, babies first show signs of difficulty breathing, and then suffocation.

This condition is also called croup. Translated, this word means to croak. A croaking cough precedes severe constriction of the larynx.

The term croup is obsolete. Modern doctors use it less and less to refer to laryngeal stenosis. Increasingly, the term “stenotic laryngitis” is being used instead.

Children have a special structure of the larynx and trachea:

• The mucous membranes of the child's larynx and trachea are saturated with fatty tissue mixed with lymphoid tissue. In addition, it is densely permeated with capillaries. With the development of the inflammatory process, this contributes to tissue swelling and the development of edema. As a result, a rapid narrowing of the lumen of the larynx occurs.
• The child's airways have a small diameter. The length of the larynx is much shorter than that of an adult. In addition, it is shaped like a funnel. The vocal cords are located higher than in adults. All this contributes to the rapid spread of inflammation.
• The nervous system in a child’s body is not yet fully formed. Because of this, the parasympathetic mechanisms of nerve impulse transmission come first. In addition, this causes the presence of additional reflex areas in the respiratory organs and increased tissue excitability. Because of this, any irritants can provoke the development of laryngeal stenosis in children.

Komarovsky believes that when the first signs of pathology appear, first aid should be provided immediately. The fact is that this pathology disrupts several important functions at once: vocal, respiratory and protective.

Classification of stenosis

At one time, doctors developed several classifications of this pathology. Each of them is based on one of the characteristics of the disease.

Taking into account the speed of development and duration of the course, the following types of stenosis are distinguished:

The rate of development of pathology largely depends on how quickly the adults around the child notice the presence of a problem, and the promptness of the assistance provided.

Laryngeal stenosis is also divided into stages. The onset of one or another stage is determined by the symptoms of laryngeal stenosis in children:

At each of these stages, a sick baby needs emergency care. Parents cannot provide it on their own. They can only provide first aid, and then they must call an ambulance.

Reasons for the development of the pathological condition

Doctors divide all causes of the development of stenosis into 2 large groups: infectious and non-infectious. Infectious causes include:

• Diseases of viral etiology: influenza, adenoviral and respiratory infections.
• Diseases of bacterial origin: diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, etc.

There are much more non-infectious causes. The most common of them include:

• Allergic reaction. The allergic agent can be food, pollen, medications, household chemicals, etc. This is a common cause of throat spasms.
• Inflammatory processes occurring outside the respiratory system. For example, in the esophagus or stomach.
• Congenital pathologies of the trachea, causing a narrowing of its lumen.
• Purulent processes involving the neck and the areas of the head closest to it. Due to the close proximity of the respiratory organs, inflammation can spread to them.
• Tumors in the trachea and larynx.
• Violation of tissue innervation. This can happen either after an injury or due to a strong emotional outburst. The latter is typical for teenage girls.
• Injuries to the larynx obtained in various ways: burns from hot food, foreign bodies entering the trachea, damage from chemicals, blows to the neck, etc.
• Acute liver failure. This disease is accompanied by the penetration of urea into the mucous membranes of the larynx, which, when interacting with microflora, is converted into a poison that can provoke the appearance of foci of necrosis.
• Inflammatory processes in the respiratory organs. For example, laryngotracheitis.

For any form and stage of pathology, it is important to quickly identify the causes of its development. You can get rid of the symptoms of the disease only by eliminating negative factors.

If the attack develops at lightning speed, then diagnosis is not needed. The main thing here is to have time to help the child. Things are different when the pathology develops gradually. Doctors have time to find out the cause and get rid of it.

Diagnosis begins with an examination. The doctor examines the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx with trachea. Allergy tests are required to rule out the possibility of allergies. If a neuroparalytic process is suspected, a neurologist is involved in the examination. If signs of a tumor are detected, the child is referred to an oncologist.

Additional research methods are used:

• Radiography. It allows you to assess the degree of narrowing of the trachea and larynx.
• Ultrasound of the thyroid gland. An enlarged organ can compress the larynx.
• Computed tomography of the neck organs.
• Bacteriological cultures to identify an infectious agent.

General blood and urine tests are required. They allow, by indirect signs, to identify the presence of a hidden inflammatory process that can cause laryngeal stenosis in children.

Acute attacks of croup can develop very quickly. For this reason, it is very important that parents know how to provide emergency assistance to their child. This can save the baby’s life until doctors arrive.

When the first signs of stenosis appear, parents should take the following steps:

It is very useful to have Prednisolone in your home medicine cabinet. This drug can help when the pathology begins to enter the third stage. The medicine has a lot of side effects, but if the child’s life is at risk, there is no choice. It quickly eliminates swelling and signs of allergies. Small children can be injected with no more than half an ampoule. Teenagers can administer the whole ampoule.

To eliminate the pathological condition, drug therapy and surgical treatment can be used. The choice of treatment technique is determined by the severity of the symptoms and the cause of the stenosis.

Conservative therapy

This treatment is prescribed exclusively in the initial stages of the disease. Doctors are trying to get rid of the causes of narrowing of the larynx with the help of medications. Their set is determined by the causes of the pathology.

In some cases, the doctor may allow the child to be treated at home. This usually occurs when the pathology is caused by laryngitis. But even at home, bed rest must be observed.

Parents should not provoke their child to talk. Excessive stress on the cords can have a negative impact on the formation of inflamed vocal cords.

It is necessary to regularly ventilate the room. If the pathology is complicated by allergies, then you should avoid compotes and foods that can provoke an allergic reaction.

You can do inhalations with medicines and infusions of medicinal herbs.

In a hospital setting, conservative Treatment is carried out using the following groups of drugs:

• Antiviral agents: Grippferon, Viferon, Alfaron, Tsitovir, Kagocel.
• Antibacterial drugs for acute inflammatory processes: Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Zinacef, Summed, Hemotsin.
• Antiallergic medications: Xizal, Zodak-Express, Erius, Dezal, Fexadin.
• Decongestants: Naphthyzin, Galazolin, Tizin, Delufen, Furosemide.

All medications are prescribed by a doctor. Parents should not treat their child at their own discretion.

For grades 3 and 4 stenosis, there is no point in using medications. They simply do not have time to exert their effect before death occurs, so doctors resort to surgical intervention.

Today, when treating airway stenosis, doctors practice the following types of operations:

To restore respiratory function, doctors may intubate the child. We are talking about placing a special tube into the trachea through the mouth.

Intubation is performed only in cases where doctors are confident that they can eliminate the spasm with medication.

No one is surprised by coughs and frequent runny noses in children, especially during the cold season. The peculiarity of children's physiology and the imperfection of the child's immune system make him susceptible to respiratory diseases, and all diseases are more severe, unlike adults. The most acute manifestations of stenosis are observed in children who are prone to allergies. A cough that begins to turn into suffocation is a symptom of a narrowing of the larynx - a condition that requires urgent measures to facilitate the baby’s breathing. Parents must know how to help with stenosis in children.

Laryngeal stenosis in children: what is it?

Stenosis is a respiratory disease in which inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa occurs. This organ contains the vocal cords. The inflammation quickly spreads to them, which is why one of the main symptoms of the disease is hoarseness.

Children's larynx is narrower than adults'. During inflammation, the volume of the mucosa increases, narrowing the lumen even more. It makes breathing difficult. The greatest danger of laryngeal stenosis in children is for children under 3 years of age.

Causes of laryngeal stenosis in children

The reasons may be:

The main symptoms of laryngeal stenosis in children

The disease usually begins with a sore throat and runny nose. A. During the examination, it turns out that the throat is swollen and red. A characteristic barking cough appears, which is associated with itching and irritation of the mucous membrane in the throat. At first, the cough is dry and severe. Over time, sputum appears and may contain blood clots. It is difficult for the baby to breathe due to swelling of the larynx. An increase in temperature is likely. The child has a dry mouth and a headache. A bluish triangle appears above the upper lip when coughing.

During the acute form of the disease, the child has pronounced symptoms. When moving to the chronic stage, the baby is most often bothered by a sore throat, and there is a constant need to clear his throat. The timbre of the voice changes.

Since the child still cannot really say Where it hurts, adults must be especially attentive to various changes in the baby’s condition. To the general symptoms of acute respiratory infections, such as increased moodiness, lethargy, runny nose, are added whistling, blue discoloration between the nose and mouth, noises in the respiratory tract, and a hoarse, strong cough.

Possible complications

The danger of this disease is that stenosis develops quickly and can cause serious complications. The most common of these is suffocation; it is most characteristic of the pathology that occurs due to allergies. This complication can also occur in infants due to imperfections in the respiratory system.

During infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract, attacks of false croup are likely to occur. A purulent inflammatory process causes blood poisoning and spreads to the lungs and neck muscles.

Degrees of narrowing

Stenosis or breathing impairment, which appears as a result of a decrease in the lumen of the larynx and swelling of the mucous membrane, develops quickly. Moreover, you can observe a gradual deterioration in health.

Swelling of the larynx occurs due to complete or partial inflammatory process of the mucous membrane due to the action of some allergen (household dust, plant pollen). The baby may suddenly develop symptoms of asphyxia, it hurts to swallow, and his voice becomes rough.

When is it necessary to call an ambulance?

Since the disease can develop quite quickly, especially in newborns, during the first symptoms of difficulty breathing, adults are required to immediately contact an ambulance, and before arriving, take measures to get rid of laryngeal spasm.

When your baby has shortness of breath, intermittent breathing and barking cough, this can lead to rapid progression of stenosis and the development of heart failure. Treatment during stenosis of 2-4 degrees requires hospitalization. There is an even greater risk of a sharp exacerbation of the disease in allergy sufferers, as well as in children who have neuropsychiatric disorders.

Symptoms such as shortness of breath along with increased temperature, frequent coughing may be alarming signs of acute developing stenosis. To begin proper treatment, you need to urgently understand the cause.

First aid during an attack of stenosis

Before the ambulance arrives, the baby needs to breathe steam to ease breathing and relieve laryngeal spasm. Why can you turn on hot water in the bathroom?, in order for steam to gather, and to be in it with the child. Older children can breathe over a pan of potato broth or soda solution. You need to breathe the steam for 7-12 minutes in several stages with a short break. At the same time, breathing becomes easier, sputum is formed, and the dry cough weakens.

The following procedures can also help:

Home treatment

If the doctor does not consider it necessary to keep the child in a hospital, then stenosis is treated at home. Moreover, it is imperative that bed rest be carried out.

Attention: if the cause of the disease is unknown, then it is prohibited to use herbal preparations for compresses, gargling or inhalation, since laryngeal spasm may be an allergic reaction. Before using any traditional methods to eliminate the symptoms of stenosis, you need to do a general blood test for leukocytes, a blood test for viruses, and also consult a doctor. You may also need to test for different allergens.

Use of medications

As prescribed by the doctor, various drugs are used that have antipyretic, expectorant, anti-allergenic, and anti-inflammatory effects. In each specific case, the dosage is selected individually, taking into account the weight and age of the baby.

Hospital treatment

If the baby’s condition is unstable, symptoms of stenosis of 2-4 degrees are noted, then treatment is carried out only in the clinic. After getting rid of an acute attack of suffocation means are used to get rid of dry cough and fever, and inhalations are performed. Using a dropper, medications are administered to relieve swelling and inflammation in the throat. If it is determined that the inflammation in the larynx is due to a bacterial infection, then antibiotics are prescribed for treatment.

During the fourth degree of stenosis, children are treated in the intensive care unit. In a very severe case, if asphyxia occurs, an incision is made under the thyroid gland and a breathing tube is installed into the trachea itself. Then, as the condition improves, the tube is removed.

In order to prevent the occurrence of this disease, it is necessary to minimize the baby’s contact with allergens if he has symptoms of intolerance to some foods or substances.

Bacteria can easily enter the larynx if there are bad teeth, tonsils, or adenoids are inflamed. If your baby constantly breathes only through his mouth, then his mucous membrane begins to dry out, which creates conditions for the rapid development and penetration of infection. Therefore, it is important to promptly check the condition of teeth and treat ENT diseases.

It is necessary to harden the child from birth and monitor his correct physical development. Maintain normal hygienic and sanitary conditions in the premises. The baby must get a good night's sleep, as this is required to strengthen the nervous system. A healthy diet will help improve your immunity.

Pediatric laryngeal stenosis is a disease caused by a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. Most often, the pathology is provoked by the trachea, as a result of which the baby’s free breathing is blocked. The attack appears suddenly and develops quickly. Children aged 1 to 4 years are at risk.

At this age, the disease is considered a life-threatening condition, so all parents should have knowledge of providing emergency care for laryngeal stenosis in children.

Specifics of the disease

A characteristic feature of childhood laryngeal stenosis is a rapid narrowing of the “patency” of the windpipe. Due to this, the lungs do not receive the amount of oxygen they need. Oxygen starvation begins to spread to other organs, causing a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Without appropriate help, the lumen of the larynx narrows more and more, leaving minimal space for air to pass into the lungs. The only way to save the baby’s life in this case is surgical intervention.

The main sign of pathology, which poses the most serious danger, is difficulty breathing. That is why the second name of the disease is false croup.

This is interesting!

Diphtheria is called real (true) croup. With this pathology, as with stenosis, swelling of the laryngeal mucosa occurs. The symptoms and general clinical manifestations of the pathologies are similar, however, with diphtheria, the laryngeal lumen is additionally blocked by fibrinous films.

The longer an attack of asphyxia lasts, the less oxygen the brain receives. This condition causes numerous tissue death, leading to the appearance of foci of necrosis.

It should be noted that, despite the danger of the disease and the speed of its development, stages 1 and 2 of the pathology are very amenable to drug therapy. The main thing in this matter is a complete recovery from the disease, otherwise it will become chronic.

Chronic laryngeal stenosis is a slowly progressive disease that leads to constant oxygen starvation of brain tissue. Moreover, this form provokes frequent recurring attacks, each of which can end extremely badly.

Disease provocateurs

Among the reasons that cause a dangerous attack of suffocation, there are 2 groups of factors:

1. Infectious nature;
2. Non-infectious in nature.

The infectious development of pathology is provoked by viral microorganisms, which, penetrating the respiratory tract, settle there, multiplying and poisoning the body with the products of their vital activity. The most common provocateurs of the condition of narrowing of the larynx are the following pathologies:

• Flu;
• Adenoviruses;
• Respiratory infections;
• Parainfluenza;
• Diphtheria;
• Measles;
• Scarlet fever;
• Abscesses of the respiratory system.

Non-infectious causes include the following provoking factors:

• Specific (for food, medications, household chemicals);
• Long-term inflammatory processes in diseases of the throat and esophagus;
• Congenital pathological disorders of the structure of the trachea;
• Mechanical injury caused by
• Tumors of a malignant or benign nature in the respiratory tract;
• Processes of purulent inflammation that develop in organs located next to the larynx.
• General intoxication of the body, which developed as a result of deficiency.

During and after illnesses of the upper respiratory tract, special monitoring is required from parents and medical personnel to prevent the development of laryngitis in children in a complicated form.

Let us note a number of provoking factors that increase the risk of developing a dangerous pathology:

• Prematurity;
• Infectious diseases suffered before the attack;
• Artificial feeding;
• Vaccination, which was carried out during the period of viral infection.
• Anemia;
• The constant presence of the baby in a room filled with tobacco smoke.

This is interesting!

Statistics show that boys are more prone to narrowing of the laryngeal mucosa than girls. However, doctors cannot scientifically explain this fact.

Attacks of stenosis can occur in both adults and children. However, children under 4 years of age are the main “objects” of a dangerous disease due to the anatomical structure of the upper respiratory tract:

• Small size of the larynx;
• Softness of cartilage tissue;
• The vocal cords are still too high;
• The mucous membranes are very delicate;
• In the layer that is located under the mucous membranes, there are a lot of lymphoid accumulations, so during infectious lesions it quickly increases in size, creating an obstacle to the passage of air.

This is interesting!

Specific symptoms

Symptoms and signs of pathology begin as precursors by 3 days from the onset of the infectious disease. Among the wide variety of individual manifestations of a possible attack, doctors identify 3 symptoms, the appearance of which should alert parents:

1. The voice changes, becomes hoarse;
2. A cough appears, loud and “barking”;
3. The child's breathing becomes noisy and hoarse.

These signs should be a signal for the baby to receive first aid, including systematic prevention of an attack.

If signs of suffocation appear in a baby once, the risk of developing a second attack during an infectious disease increases significantly.

If the first symptoms are ignored, an attack will definitely occur. In this case, the time of its occurrence will be night or early morning. During sleep, the baby does not have a reflex cough, so the swelling that appears during the day begins to rapidly increase. In addition, it is at night that the vagus nerve is activated, which increases secretion and spasm of the bronchial muscles.

When an attack of stenosis immediately occurs, pronounced signs are observed:

• It is difficult for the baby to breathe air;
• Appears ;
• The baby is restless and extremely excited;
• The more he moves, the worse he feels;
• Apathy;
• Blue discoloration of the skin and lips;
• Involuntary acts of emptying the bladder and bowels;
• Cessation of respiratory activity;

If the attack is caused by mechanical irritation of the larynx due to a foreign object, the symptoms develop even faster. Trying to clear his throat and breathe, the child makes many feverish movements, which further aggravates the situation. The attack ends in the same way as with the infectious variant of its development.

If these signs appear, parents should immediately call a team of medical professionals. Then the baby should be quickly and clearly given first aid for stenosis at home.

Manifestations of forms and degrees of severity

The forms of the disease, as well as the degree of its severity, significantly influence the principles of emergency care and treatment of an attack. Characteristic differences in pathology depending on the time of its development are presented in the table.

Laryngeal stenosis is also classified according to its etiological development. The following subtypes of the disease are distinguished:

1. Paralytic. Characterized by impaired functioning of nerve impulses and rapidly developing muscle paralysis;
2. Scar. After an attack, a scar remains on the larynx, after which the organ cannot work in the desired natural mode;
3. Tumorous. Caused by malignant formations that can completely block the lumen.

The localization of the disease allows us to distinguish the following forms of attack:

• Front;
• Circular;
• Rear;
• Full;
• Extended.

Manifestations of laryngeal stenosis in children are directly related to the degree of blockage of the lumen of the respiratory organ. Let's consider the degrees of the disease and their characteristic manifestations.

Parents who encounter manifestations of stenosis in any form and degree for the first time require consultation with medical professionals who will help develop an algorithm for action in a critical situation in order to prevent the dangerous consequences of the disease.

The Importance of Urgent Action

In case of laryngeal stenosis in children, emergency care begins with calling medical workers: given the speed of development of the attack and its transition from one stage to another, pre-medical actions may not be enough.

Before professionals arrive, follow these recommendations:

• Calm the baby by distracting him from the problem: the more the child cries, the faster the lumen of the larynx closes;
• Ensure maximum flow of fresh air in the room where the baby is;
• Measure your body temperature. If it’s not there, steam your baby’s feet, gently massaging his feet;
• Let your child drink as much liquid as possible, rich in alkalis (milk, gas-free mineral water);
• If the patient is overly excitable, the use of sedatives in age-appropriate dosages is indicated;
• Do inhalations: the heat will soothe and relax the muscles of the trachea.

Note!

In the absence of a special device for inhalation, doctors recommend creating a “wet” effect yourself. Take your baby to the bathroom and turn on the warm water taps. Moist warm air will definitely ease the baby's condition.

Remember that while drinking drinks, children are prohibited from offering jam, honey or sweets, so as not to provoke an allergic attack.

Therapeutic measures

The specifics of treatment are determined by the doctor after determining the cause and stage of the attack. If the disease is at a compensated or partially compensated stage, doctors diagnose and prescribe treatment at home. In all other cases, hospitalization is indicated, the duration of which depends on the response of the child’s body to the therapy.

The main direction of treatment for stenosis is to eliminate spasmodic muscle contractions and swelling in order to stabilize respiratory function. Prescriptions are made depending on the pathology that caused the attack. If there is a risk of complications in the form of a bacterial infection, antibiotics are included in the course of therapy. The process of tumor development is stopped only by surgical intervention. Infectious diseases are eliminated with antiviral drugs.

You should not ignore even the most minor manifestations of laryngeal stenosis in children: the rapidity of development of the pathology can take any unprepared adult by surprise. Therefore, if you have any doubts, do not wait: immediately seek qualified medical help.

Laryngeal stenosis in children is a disease that is acute (sudden) in nature and can be potentially life-threatening. It is characterized by a sharp narrowing of the lumen of the larynx and breathing problems: the baby has difficulty inhaling air.

The younger the patient, the harder it is to save him. Therefore, every parent should know about the factors that provoke this pathology, its first symptoms and the principles of emergency care. Our overview of the disease, detailed instructions for assistance, as well as photos and videos in this article will help you with this.

The causes of laryngeal stenosis in children can be different.

The most common of them include:

• acute laryngitis and laryngotracheitis– viral or bacterial inflammation of the larynx and trachea (in this case false croup develops);
• foreign body of the larynx(for example, if the baby played with toys containing small parts and tried to swallow them);
• injuries and ulcerative necrotic inflammation of the larynx which cause cicatricial stenosis;
• epiglotite– a fairly rare disease characterized by inflammation of the epiglottis.

Note! For a long time, the main cause of laryngeal stenosis remained diphtheria, an infectious and inflammatory disease of the ENT organs, accompanied by the accumulation of dense fibrinous films in the larynx and obstruction of the airway (true croup). Today, doctors have managed to defeat this infection by vaccinating young children, and the incidence of diphtheria has decreased significantly.

First symptoms

Most often, laryngeal stenosis develops in children from 6 months to 3 years. This pathology occurs much less frequently in older children, and is not typical for adults at all. Precursors of possible laryngeal stenosis usually appear 2-3 days after the onset of ARVI.

Doctors identify a triad of signs that indicate a high risk of developing the disease:

• hoarseness, change in voice;
• loud, barking cough;
• noisy breathing.

If treatment is not started on time, these symptoms will lead to the development of the disease: in a child, laryngeal stenosis always develops acutely, usually at night or before dawn.

Symptoms of the condition include:

• difficulty breathing (it is difficult for the baby to take a breath), shortness of breath;
• anxiety, agitation;
• deterioration during physical activity;
• in severe cases - complete cessation of breathing, cyanosis (blue discoloration), loss of consciousness.

Note! If a child develops laryngeal stenosis once, there is a high probability that dangerous symptoms will appear again when the baby gets sick again. Therefore, first aid for laryngeal stenosis in children at increased risk of this disease should be quick and effective. Consult your doctor and create an algorithm for yourself that reminds you what to do if you have laryngeal stenosis in a child.

Doctors distinguish 4 degrees of the disease:

1. Level 1 laryngeal stenosis in children is also called compensated. It manifests symptoms of breathing problems only during physical exertion or excitement. There are no signs of hypoxia (lack of oxygen to organs and tissues).
2. Second degree stenosis of the larynx in children is characterized by deterioration of the condition. Shortness of breath is also observed at rest. Accessory muscles are involved in the act of breathing: you can see how, during inhalation and exhalation, the intercostal spaces and the pits above and below the collarbones are drawn in.
3. Laryngeal stenosis of the 3rd degree - a pronounced clinical stridor provokes the appearance of signs of lack of oxygen: the lips and nasolabial triangle turn blue, the skin is pale, and the heartbeat is rapid. Breathing is noisy and intermittent.
4. Laryngeal stenosis grade 4 is the terminal stage of the disease. The child's condition is extremely serious, he is unconscious. Breathing is quiet, shallow, and sometimes may not be detected. The pulse gradually decreases until the heart stops completely.

Note! The cessation of noisy breathing and the “calmness” of the child, which is observed when the disease passes from stage 3 to stage 4, is mistakenly perceived by some parents as an improvement in the condition. This is completely wrong! Dangerous symptoms do not go away on their own. Urgent first aid and hospital treatment of laryngeal stenosis in children is required.

Principles of treatment

How to act in a dangerous situation

If your child exhibits one or more of the symptoms listed above, call an ambulance immediately: the baby is in dire need of medical attention. Before the doctors arrive, do not leave him alone: ​​you can help him cope with shortness of breath.

Emergency care for laryngeal stenosis in children includes:

1. Calm yourself and try to calm your child. This is very important, because with motor and emotional stress, the need for oxygen increases several times.

1. If the child does not have allergies, give him any herbal sedative (valerian extract, motherwort tincture) in an age-appropriate dosage.
2. Offer your baby something to drink. Drinking plenty of warm alkaline drinks (still mineral water, tea, milk) will soften the throat, help redistribute blood and reduce swelling of the laryngeal mucosa. It will become much easier for the baby to breathe.
3. If your child has a tendency to allergies, give an antihistamine in an age-appropriate dosage (Suprastin for children over 2 years old, Fenistil in the form of drops for children under one year old).
4. Provide access to fresh air: remove clothing that restricts breathing, open windows.
5. Another method that experienced pediatricians recommend using: take the child to the bathroom, close the door and turn on the hot water. Steam breathing will facilitate the passage of air through the larynx and trachea.
6. You can try to relieve swelling of the larynx with a hot foot bath: due to thermal irritation of the lower extremities, blood will flow out of the inflamed area.

Note! It is not recommended to offer your child honey, raspberry jam or citrus fruits along with tea. They are strong allergens and can make the situation worse.

Inhalations

If you have a compressor inhaler or nebulizer at home, you can significantly alleviate the child’s condition.

The following drugs are effective for the disease:

1. Glucocorticosteroid hormones: Pulmicort, Flixotide and Dexamethasone for laryngeal stenosis in children can quickly relieve swelling and acute inflammation. Stridor is noticeably reduced.
2. Antispasmodics: in some cases (with severe agitation and muscle spasms), inhalations with Ventolin, Berotek are justified;
3. Bronchomimetics: the main purpose of these drugs is to dilate the bronchi in patients with bronchial asthma. Berodual for laryngeal stenosis in children increases the lumen of the airways and makes breathing easier.
4. Saline solution and mineral water with a predominant alkaline component: if you do not have the necessary medications on hand, you can use these solutions.

Rules for inhalation with Pulmicort

Pulmicort is a glucocorticoid with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic activity based on budesonide. Available in small bottles for one-time use - nebulas. The average price for 20 pieces is 900 rubles.

But how can they treat laryngeal stenosis? You can prepare the solution for inhalation with your own hands.

1. Inhalations of glucocorticoids are allowed for children from 6 months.
2. The standard dose of Pulmicort is 1 mg (2 ml of suspension with a dosage of 0.5 mg/ml). In case of acute stenosis, the medicine should be used in two consecutive doses with a break of an hour. Then inhalations are carried out 2 times a day until the condition improves.
3. Shake and carefully open the nebula with the drug, squeeze the medicine into the inhaler container. Add 2-4 ml of saline solution. The instructions for use recommend using the product immediately after opening.
4. Put a mask that fits on your child and make sure he inhales the medicine for 3-5 minutes. There is usually a noticeable improvement immediately after the procedure is completed.

Medical assistance

When the ambulance arrives, briefly and clearly describe the situation. After collecting an anamnesis and examination, including assessing the general condition and determining the degree of stenosis, doctors will begin emergency measures.

Note! Any case of acute respiratory distress requires immediate hospitalization. The clinic will not only monitor the child’s condition, but will also continue treatment of ARVI in order to prevent the development of repeated attacks.

Prevention

Prevention of laryngeal stenosis in children includes several stages.

The most important of them remains the fight against viral and bacterial infections:

1. Don't let your child get hypothermic while walking outside, but don't wrap him up too much.
2. Avoid crowded places (clinics, large shopping centers) during an epidemic of viral diseases.
3. Vaccinate your baby against diphtheria and other dangerous infections in a timely manner.
4. If your child attends kindergarten, use oxolinic ointment before leaving home.
5. Provide your baby with a varied diet including fresh vegetables and fruits every day.

It is also important to properly treat ARVI in a child. The list of permitted and prohibited drugs is presented in the table below.

Acute respiratory failure caused by a significant narrowing of the lumen of the larynx is an extremely dangerous problem. Every parent should know the symptoms and treatment of this disease, as well as how to relieve laryngeal stenosis in a child in an emergency. After all, not only the health, but also the life of the baby depends on this.

A complication of ARVI, when shortness of breath and severe cough appear, the skin turns pale, and attacks of suffocation rapidly attack, laryngeal stenosis occurs in children and adults. The pathological process is dangerous to health, because if it is not stopped in a timely manner, the patient may die. Stenosis in a child develops more often, respiratory impairment, and a decrease in protective and phonatory functions are observed. Therefore, it is important to avoid the occurrence of edema and promptly initiate intensive treatment of the underlying disease.

What is laryngeal stenosis in children

This is a pathology of the respiratory system, in which there is a complete or partial narrowing of the lumen of the larynx. As a result, air penetrates into the bronchi, trachea, and lungs in limited quantities. This disease most often develops in patients under 3 years of age, and in modern pediatrics the diagnosis has several names. The most recognizable among these are the following: false croup, stenosing laryngitis, acute airway obstruction. Attacks of asphyxia limit the supply of oxygen to the brain, extensive tissue death is observed, and foci of necrosis form.

Forms of the disease

According to the degree of the pathological process, doctors identify the following forms of stenosis in children with an unfavorable clinical outcome:

1. For acute stenosis, the body is not able to quickly adapt to limited oxygen access, so it dies suddenly.
2. With chronic stenosis, the abnormal narrowing of the lumen of the larynx occurs gradually, so the body has time to adapt to the conditions of “emergency operation” to maintain vital functions.

Depending on the etiology of the pathological process, stenosis in children comes in several varieties:

1. Paralytic. Accompanied by muscle paralysis and impaired conduction of nerve impulses.
2. Cicatricial stenosis. A scar remains on the larynx, which significantly reduces the cavity of this organ of the respiratory system.
3. Tumorous. Stenosis is accompanied by the formation of malignant neoplasms of the throat, as a result of which the lumen of the organ is abnormally reduced.

Depending on the location of the pathological focus, stenosis in children is:

• front;
• rear;
• circular;
• total;
• extended.

Causes of pathology

Acute attacks, which can cost the patient his life, may be preceded by the following pathogenic factors:

• inflammation due to a primary disease: laryngitis, erysipelas;
• complications from infectious diseases such as typhoid fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis;
• congenital lesions: genetic disorders in children;
• laryngeal injuries: penetration of a foreign body, chemical burns, operations;
• a consequence of allergic edema;
• malignant tumors of the esophagus, larynx, throat;
• nerve damage: laryngospasm, muscle paralysis.

Symptoms

Children with such a dangerous disease begin to have problems breathing and there is an acute lack of oxygen. If this is congenital stenosis, the newborn may die in the first days of his life from alarming symptoms. The doctor carries out a number of resuscitation measures, but the patient’s condition remains critical. You can still adapt to the acquired form of the disease, and pay attention to the following signs of laryngeal stenosis for children of different ages:

• redness of the lining of the larynx;
• swelling of the tissue (swelling of the larynx);
• pathological narrowing of the airway lumen;
• spasms of the larynx;
• attacks of asphyxia;
• sore throat;
• plaque on the mucous membranes;
• narrowing of the tracheal lumen;
• signs of allergic edema.

Degrees of laryngeal stenosis

The disease progresses in several stages, which determines the clinical outcome for the patient. 1st degree stenosis in a child is the most harmless, since the degree of narrowing of the larynx varies from 0 to 50%, and the child’s condition is satisfactory or moderate. The membranes of the larynx are moderately inflamed, but the clinical outcome is quite favorable if conservative treatment is started in a timely manner. In stages 2 and 3 of the disease, the patient’s condition is severe and accompanied by confusion. With grade 4, the patient may die without receiving emergency care.

First aid for stenosis

The first thing you need to do is pick up the baby and calm him down in order to regulate his intermittent breathing. Then it is important to ensure access of oxygen to the room with the patient and humidify it as much as possible. Among resuscitation measures, it is recommended to perform a hot foot bath and knead the feet of a small patient. This is necessary to ensure unimpeded blood flow from the swelling of the laryngeal mucosa to the lower extremities. Be sure to call an ambulance; the child needs immediate hospitalization.

Treatment of laryngeal stenosis in children

To eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of stenosis in children, it is necessary to determine and eliminate the etiology of the pathological process. For example, it is better to fight pathogenic infections with antibiotics, and a malignant tumor must be removed surgically. If you correctly and timely determine what preceded swelling of the larynx, this is already half the success on the path to a speedy recovery. Not only oral tablets help against abnormal narrowing of the airways; in complicated clinical situations, the patient will have to undergo surgery.

Drug therapy

Laryngeal stenosis is treated comprehensively; the child can be prescribed the following medications strictly according to indications:

• antihistamines: Fenistil, Tavegil, Zirtek, Suprastin, Zodak;
• inhalation using a nebulizer: Pulmicort, Berodual, saline solution;
• sedatives by injection: Droperidol;
• glucocorticosteroids: Prednisolone;
• anti-inflammatory and antiviral drugs;
• anticongestants: Naphthyzin, Naphazolin;
• dehydration therapy.

Complications of the disease

Komarovsky in his videos talks not only about measures to prevent stenosis in children, but also about potential complications that reduce the quality of life of a small patient and can cost him his life. In this case we are talking about the following pathological processes:

• acute stenosing laryngotracheitis;
• disorders of the central nervous system;
• Chronical bronchitis;
• pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• pneumonia.
• bronchiectasis.

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