What is Stridor

Stridor is an abnormal, usually high-pitched sound that is made while breathing. This sound develops when a child’s airway becomes partly blocked or narrowed. Many things can cause stridor, including:

• Something getting stuck (foreign body) in the throat or airway.
• Swelling of the upper airway, tonsils, or epiglottis.
• An infected area that contains a collection of pus and debris (abscess) on the tonsils.
• A tumor.
• A congenital condition in which the larynx is soft and lacks its normal firmness (laryngomalacia).
• An injury to the voice box (larynx). This can happen when a child has had a breathing tube in place for a few weeks or longer.
• An abnormality of blood vessels in the neck or chest.
• Stomach acid backing up into the esophagus (acid reflux).
• A viral infection in the upper airway, such as croup.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider. Do not give your child aspirin because of the association with Reye syndrome.
• Encourage your child to eat slowly. Careful eating can help keep food from being inhaled accidentally.
• Do not give food or fluids to your child during a coughing spell, or when breathing seems difficult.
• Avoid giving a young child foods that can cause choking, such as hard candy, peanuts, large pieces of fruit or vegetables, and hot dogs.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child has a fever.
• Your child has a new onset of stridor.
• Your child’s stridor becomes more frequent or severe.
• Your child eats or drinks less than normal.
• Your child gags, chokes, or vomits when eating.
• Your child is drooling a lot or having difficulty swallowing saliva.

Get help right away if:

• Your child loses consciousness or is difficult to wake up.
• Your child’s skin is turning blue.
• Your child is having trouble breathing. For example, your child has fast, shallow, or labored breathing.
• Your child who is younger than 3 months has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.

Summary

• Stridor is an abnormal, usually high-pitched sound that is made while breathing. This sound develops when a child’s airway becomes partly blocked or narrowed.
• Many things can cause stridor, including something stuck in the airway, swelling in the airway from an infection, or a tumor.
• Contact your health care provider right away if your child’s stridor becomes more frequent or severe. Also seek immediate help if your child is having trouble breathing or if your child loses consciousness.