Duration of epiglottitis

The duration of epiglottitis should not exceed about ten days under adequate therapy. Adults need a slightly longer recovery time compared to children. In children, a significant improvement is usually observed after about three days.

However, whether the healing takes a day longer or shorter is not decisive. It is only important that the tendency always goes into regression of the symptoms. A worsening of the symptoms should immediately give reason to go to the doctor again.

Difference between adults and babies

The biggest difference in epiglottitis between adults and babies is the size of the airways. The diameter mainly determines the possible complications and is the decisive factor in determining the period of action for a successful therapy. The smaller the lumen of the airways, the faster the swelling of the mucosa leads to a dislocation.

This can result in difficult breathing or even shortness of breath. In adults, this lumen is comparatively large and usually allows the affected person enough time to recognize the symptoms on their own and classify them as dangerous. A baby has neither the competence to report in time nor to communicate its problem.

Therefore, it depends on a good observation of the parents to recognize the time of treatment. In addition, the therapy must then begin quickly and also more radically than in adults to prevent the condition from worsening. But it is not only the complications and their development over time that play a role in the difference in epiglottitis between adults and babies.

The pathogens can also be different in nature. In babies it is almost exclusively bacteria that lead to epiglottitis. To be precise, this is “Haemophilus influenzae type B”.

In adults, however, other bacteria such as streptococci can also cause the infection. In very rare cases even viruses are conceivable triggers. Thus, a further pathogen spectrum is possible in adults and may require specific further diagnostics. However, if complications occur in the case of illness, they are treated in the same way as in children. However, they are much rarer, since most adults have sufficient vaccination protection.