Laryngomalacia
Babies with noisy breathing are obviously worrying for parents. Some have obstructed nasal breathing or are snuffly but others have a musical noise (stridor) from the voicebox. The commonest cause by far is laryngomalacia in which the back of the voicebox tends to fall into the airway when the baby is breathing fast. This can be mild or when more severe, associated with feeding difficulties and struggling to breathe. Diagnosis can be made with the baby awake by passing a flexible endoscope. If the baby is failing to thrive a small operation can be performed.
View presentations on laryngo and tracheomalacia and on airway obstruction
Other causes of stridor include:
Subglottic cysts
Cricoarytenoid fixation
