Disorders of The Upper Respiratory Tract

The upper respiratory tract warms, humidifies, and filters the air that enters the body.

Because the structures of the upper respiratory tract constantly come into

contact with a barrage of foreign organisms, including pathogens, this can lead to

airway irritation and infection.

CHOANAL ATRESIA

Choanal atresia is congenital obstruction of the posterior nares by an obstructing

membrane or bony growth, which prevents a newborn from drawing air through the

nose and down into the nasopharynx.

ACUTE NASOPHARYNGITIS (COMMON COLD)

The common cold is the most frequent infectious disease in children. Toddlers can have

as many as 10 to 12 colds a year.

PHARYNGITIS

Pharyngitis is infection and inflammation of the throat. The peak incidence occurs

between 5 and 15 years of age in winter and spring, with an incubation period of 2 to 5

days. It may be either bacterial or viral in origin.

Viral Pharyngitis

The causative agent of pharyngitis is usually a virus. The symptoms are generally mild:

a sore throat, fever, rhinorrhea, cough, and general malaise. On a physical assessment,

regional lymph nodes may be enlarged.

Streptococcal Pharyngitis

Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus is the organism most frequently involved in

bacterial pharyngitis in children, particularly those between the ages of 5 and 15 years.
Retropharyngeal Abscess

A retropharyngeal abscess forms when lymph nodes  in the back of the throat become infected,
break down, and form pus. Because these nodes begin to disappear by age 4 to 5 years,
retropharyngeal abscesses occur mainly in children age 1 to 8 years and are uncommon in adults.
EPISTAXIS

Epistaxis (nosebleed) is extremely common in children and usually occurs from trauma,

such as picking at the nose or trauma. Dry air can cause mucous membranes to become

dry and be susceptible to cracking and bleeding.

SINUSITIS

Sinusitis is infection and inflammation of the sinus cavities. It rarely occurs in children

younger than 6 years of age because the frontal sinuses do not develop fully until that

age.

LARYNGITIS

Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx, which results in brassy, hoarse voice sounds or

the inability to make audible voice sounds.

CONGENITAL LARYNGOMALACIA/TRACHEOMALACIA

Congenital laryngomalacia means that an infant’s laryngeal structure is weaker than

normal and collapses more than usual on inspiration.

CROUP (LARYNGOTRACHEOBRONCHITIS)

Croup (inflammation of the larynx, trachea, and major bronchi) is a frightening illness

in childhood, although complications are rare for caregivers. In children between 6

months and 3 years of age, the cause of croup is usually a viral infection such as

parainfluenza virus.

EPIGLOTTITIS

Epiglottitis is inflammation of the epiglottis, which is the flap of cartilage that covers

the opening to the larynx to keep out food and fluid during swallowing. Although it is

rare, inflammation of the epiglottis is an emergency because the swollen epiglottis

cannot rise and allow the airway to open.

ASPIRATION

Aspiration (inhalation of a foreign object into the airway) occurs most frequently in

infants and toddlers. When a child aspirates a foreign object such as a coin or a peanut,

the immediate reaction is choking and hard, forceful coughing.

The right main bronchus is straighter and has a larger lumen than the left bronchus in
children older than 2 years of age. An aspirated foreign object that is not

large enough to obstruct the trachea may lodge in the right bronchus, obstructing a

portion or all of the right lung.