Definition
Laryngitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the laryngeal mucosa. Especially infants and toddlers up to the age of 6 are often affected by the so-called stenosing laryngitis, which is better known in the vernacular as pseudocroup.
Special features for children
The larynx forms the transition between the pharynx and the windpipe. Small children have even narrower airways, so an inflammation in the area of the respiratory tract leads to difficult breathing and shortness of breath. In addition to laryngitis, children often also suffer from severe swelling of the laryngeal outlet (subglottis), the disease is then known as pseudocroup.
Causes
In most cases, a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract and larynx is the cause of laryngitis, in some cases there may also be an additional infestation with bacteria (“superinfection“). The germs attack the mucous membrane of the nose and throat and the inflammation leads to swelling of the upper respiratory tract. Inflammation of the larynx often occurs as a result of a flu-like infection or a cold.
Typical pathogens that lead to laryngitis are, in addition to the classic flu viruses (influenza viruses), rhino- and adenoviruses. Children are particularly affected by laryngitis during the cold season, which is considered the cold season and during which a particularly high number of respiratory diseases occur. A further cause of laryngitis in children is severe irritation of the larynx, which can be caused by prolonged crying, for example.
The strong vocal stress irritates the mucous membrane and leads to inflammatory reactions. A trigger for inflammation of the respiratory tract in children, which is often underestimated by parents, is passive smoking. The constant inhalation of tobacco smoke from the air indoors irritates the mucous membranes and increases the risk of developing laryngitis.
Associated symptoms
The main symptom of laryngitis is the difficulty in breathing caused by the swollen airways. Since small children still have a very small larynx and narrower airways, the difficult breathing can lead to acute shortness of breath in rare cases. The sick children have the feeling of having a “lump” in their throat.
Affected children complain of severe sore throats and difficulty swallowing. Particularly at night, barking, cramping coughs and shortness of breath occur, which often leads to panic-like attacks in the children. Excitement worsens the symptoms, so it is extremely important to calm the child in such situations to make breathing easier again.
Due to the narrowed airways, pathological noises occur during inhalation (inspiratory stridor). In addition to the irritable cough, another symptom is frequent clearing of the throat. Acute laryngitis can also lead to high fever.
High fever can be an indication of an additional inflammation of the epiglottis, which is very dangerous. Due to the epiglottitis, children can no longer swallow and run the risk of suffocation, as the epiglottis can swell very strongly. For this reason, a doctor or hospital should be consulted immediately in case of high fever.
Due to the inflammation of the larynx, the voice is stricken and sounds scratchy (dysphonia). The children are usually hoarse and sometimes lose their voice completely (atony), so that only a soft whisper is possible. The larynx, together with the vocal folds and vocal chords, is responsible for the voice and speaking.
An inflammation of the larynx therefore often leads to an impairment of the voice and to hoarseness (dystonia). Fever occurs in both bacterial and viral infections of the respiratory tract as a natural defence mechanism of the body. If the fever is around 40° C, it is possible that the inflammation of the larynx has spread to the epiglottis, resulting in epiglottitis. This is an absolute emergency, as the child may suffocate. If the child has a high fever and suffers from severe shortness of breath, parents should react immediately and consult a doctor or hospital.
