What diseases should be differentiated from acute laryngitis in children

What diseases should be differentiated from acute laryngitis in children? In the early stage of acute laryngitis in children, laryngeal spasm is the main symptom, and hoarseness is usually not serious. It manifests as paroxysmal barking cough or dyspnea. Then, when the inflammation invades the subglottic area, it becomes a "hollow" and "hollow" cough. The symptoms worsen at night. It is easy to be confused with other diseases clinically. So, what diseases should be differentiated from acute laryngitis in children?

1. Acute laryngitis, trachea, and bronchitis: It is basically the same as acute laryngitis, but the condition is more serious. The inflammation extends deep into the lower respiratory tract, and the lung symptoms are also more obvious. If the secretions in the bronchus form dryness and block the lower bronchus, it can aggravate breathing difficulties.

2. Differentiate from foreign bodies in the respiratory tract: Foreign bodies in the respiratory tract are more common in children, who have a history of inhalation of unfolded foreign bodies and often develop the disease suddenly. X-rays, direct laryngoscopy and bronchoscopy can help with diagnosis.

3. Differentiation from diphtheria: Diphtheria is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, characterized by fever, shortness of breath, hoarseness, barking cough, and white pseudomembranes in the pharynx, tonsils and surrounding tissues. In severe cases, myocarditis and nerve paralysis may occur, and systemic poisoning symptoms are obvious.

Laryngeal diphtheria has a slow onset, with low fever and obvious symptoms of systemic poisoning, pale complexion, mental depression, thin and rapid pulse, and often a grayish-white pseudomembrane in the pharynx. Examination of secretions can reveal diphtheria bacteria.

4. Differentiation from laryngeal spasm: It is common in small infants, with an acute onset, inspiratory laryngeal wheezing, sharp and thin tone, short duration, and symptoms that disappear suddenly, without hoarseness. It often occurs under light anesthesia and after the endotracheal tube is removed, especially after upper airway surgery in children. For example, the incidence rate after tonsillectomy is about 20%.

It is generally believed that when the depth of anesthesia is too shallow to prevent laryngeal spasm reflex, secretions or blood irritating the vocal cords can cause laryngeal spasm. Oropharyngeal airway, direct laryngoscopy, endotracheal intubation and other direct irritation to the larynx can induce laryngeal spasm. Surgical operations under shallow anesthesia can sometimes cause reflex laryngeal spasm. For patients who are not fully awake from anesthesia, laryngeal spasm is most likely to occur after extubation.