What is acute laryngitis in children?

When the weather gets cold and the temperature changes greatly, children are more likely to get sick. Acute laryngitis in children is the most common disease in pediatric wards. Some children with symptoms that seem similar to those of a cold are also diagnosed with acute laryngitis in children. So how do we distinguish acute laryngitis in children from a cold? This requires us to have a specific understanding and clarify what acute laryngitis in children is.

Acute laryngitis in children is an acute inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa, which can be caused by viral or bacterial infection, and is often secondary to upper respiratory tract infection. It can also be a precursor or complication of certain acute infectious diseases. It is mainly characterized by hoarseness and a barking cough. In severe cases, it can lead to life-threatening laryngeal obstruction. Chinese medicine calls it "laryngeal wind, laryngeal sound, and laryngeal paralysis". It is more common in children under 5 years old. Children have low resistance, and due to the anatomical characteristics of the larynx of children, the laryngeal cavity is narrow, the laryngeal cartilage is soft, the submucosal tissue of the epiglottic cartilage, arytenoid cartilage, aryepiglottic folds, ventricular bands and subglottic area is loose, and the mucosal lymphatic vessels are rich. Edema is prone to occur after inflammation, causing airway obstruction. Children have weak coughing function, and it is not easy to expel secretions from the larynx and lower respiratory tract, which makes breathing more difficult. Therefore, the condition of acute laryngitis in children is often more serious than that of adults. If it is not diagnosed and treated in time, it can be life-threatening.

Acute laryngitis in children is mainly caused by long-term inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa, and also by bacterial or viral infection. It is mostly caused by upper respiratory tract infection and may become a precursor or complication of some acute infectious diseases. The onset is relatively rapid, and children are often accompanied by fever, cough, hoarseness and other symptoms. The hoarseness is not serious in the early stage, and it is mostly coughing or breathing difficulties. The symptoms are more severe at night. If the mucosal edema worsens later, expiratory laryngeal wheezing will occur. Therefore, for children with laryngitis, parents should actively and effectively treat it after discovering it as soon as possible to avoid worsening of the condition. If parents ignore it, the harm is quite large and it is easy to cause complications.

In short, acute laryngitis in children often has an acute onset and progresses rapidly. If it is not diagnosed and treated promptly and effectively, serious complications and sequelae may occur. Therefore, once the disease occurs, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.