Differential diagnosis of inspiratory stridor as congenital anomalies

The cause of stridor in small children (under 3 years of age) is congenital in 85 % of all cases. The most common reason of chronic inspiratory stridor in childhood is laryngomalacia. It affects 45 – 75 % of children with congenital stridor. Besides laryngomalacia, there are many other diagnoses that may manifest in children by very similar type of noisy breathing. Therefore it is crucial for doctors to distinguish laryngomalacia from other diseases and to recognize in which phase of the respiratory cycle is stridor actually noticeable. Diagnostics and differential diagnostics of the exact cause of a persistent stridor is often problematic and correct patient treatment requires cooperation between pediatrician and otorhinolaryngologists, or even with other specialists. (author)