Aetiology

Causes

• Inflammatory/infective causes, allergy
• Foreign bodies
• Physical compression/invasion of airway
• Trauma/iatrogenic trauma
• Neurological causes
• Neoplastic causes
• Burns
• Congenital airway pathology

Risk factors

• Neonates are more prone to airway obstruction due to differences in anatomy
  • Large head
  • Small nares
  • Neonates are obligate nasal breathers
  • Relatively large tongue
  • Small, soft larynx
  • Higher position of larynx (C1)
  • Weak neck muscles; floppy head
  • Narrow subglottis (3.5 mm at the cricoid)

Clinical features

Symptoms

• SOB on exertion
• SOB at rest
• Choking
• Coughing
• Inability to complete a sentence

Signs