الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Upper airway obstruction (UAO) in infants is one of the most serious emergencies faced by critical care physicians. Early diagnosis followed by restoration of airflow is essential to prevent cardiac arrest or irreversible brain damage that occurs within minutes of complete airway obstruction. In neonates that present with stridor at birth, the obstetric history is important as traumatic labour is responsible for 20% of vocal cord palsy. Stridor occurring immediately after delivery should always raise suspicions of vocal cord palsy. Any diurnal or other variation can help to identify the cause for example with laryngomalacia typically being better with the child at rest and sleep but made worse by crying, feeding and when distressed. Airway obstruction with the baby supine can occur with apedunculated laryngeal mass but more often is due supralaryngeal obstruction such as micrognathia and resultant tongue base occlusion. Improvement in the airway with crying occurs in gross nasal obstruction. Human newborn infants are obligatory nose breathers during the first 4-6 weeks of life. The cephalic positions of the epiglottis and close apposition of the soft palate to the tongue and epiglottis in neonates make mouth breathing more difficult than nose breathing. The larynx is the most common site of stridor in infants. Children with supraglottic or glottic laryngeal abnormalities often present with a combination of problems involving respiration, phonation, and/or deglutition.