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Subglottic laryngitis is most often caused by viruses. The disease mainly affects younger children and is rarely as dramatic as epiglottic laryngitis. It is important to consult a doctor quickly and implement appropriate treatment and moisturize the room where the child is.
Definition and causes of subglottic laryngitis?
Subglottic laryngitis is a respiratory disease that is usually caused by airborne viruses and affects young children (more often boys). Typically, the viruses that cause inflammation are adenoviruses, metapneumoviruses, influenza viruses (A and B), and the RS virus. They enter the mucosa of the subglottic area of the larynx, which results in swelling and narrowing of the airways. This state of affairs leads to difficulty breathing and wheezing (stridor). This ailment rarely leads to complications, and the highest percentage of cases is recorded in the fall and winter.
Subglottic laryngitis is often called the croup, which used to define acute diphtheritis of bacterial origin. However, thanks to the introduction of appropriate vaccines, the disease is practically non-existent today, and the name itself is used as a synonym for “viral croup”. Some croups may develop as a result of pneumococci.
This disease is the most common cause of respiratory distress in children. Annually, about 8% of children under the age of 5 suffer from subglottic pharyngitis.
Symptoms of subglottic laryngitis
After a few days of a banal viral infection with slightly elevated body temperature, runny nose and a dry cough, the symptoms worsen. There is acute inspiratory dyspnea (usually in the morning) and paroxysmal exacerbation “Barking cough” and wheezing (stridor). Sometimes the skin of the sick person may turn blue.
Respiratory disorders usually occur in young children from 6 months to 5 years of age. Inflammation most often occurs in allergy sufferers and people with significantly reduced immunity.
As mentioned above, the symptoms start to worsen over time and are troublesome, especially at night and in the morning. Although they cause anxiety in parents, they resolve on their own in most cases. Subglottic laryngitis may be mild with occasional coughing, or be acute and disturb the child’s consciousness (barking cough, restlessness).
If a child develops symptoms, first of all, stay calm, take the child in your arms and give it a hug. The traditional recommendations for the child were breathing hot steam by steaming the bathroom or opening the window and ventilating the room where the child is (this is to help relieve shortness of breath and facilitate breathing). Importantly, you should not use hot steam inhalation as the child may get burned.
If home remedies do not improve symptoms (e.g. occasional barking cough), see a doctor. However, when the dyspnea is very severe – the best solution will be to call an ambulance.
Diagnosis of subglottic laryngitis
Usually, additional tests are not performed to confirm the diagnosis, because the symptoms of croup are very characteristic. However, it is important that the child feels safe during a medical visit, so the best solution is to place him on the parent’s lap. During the medical visit, the severity of respiratory wheezing is assessed and the baby’s skin is not turned blue. In addition, the doctor uses a pulse oximeter to assess the saturation and perform a gasometric test. It is important to exclude other diseases that may cause obstruction of the upper respiratory tract, e.g. a foreign body in the larynx or angioedema.
Chest x-ray examinations or virological examinations are recommended only in case of doubts as to the diagnosis.
Subglottic laryngitis – treatment
It is important to contact your doctor promptly and implement appropriate treatment. The treatment itself really depends on the patient’s condition, if there is severe dyspnea, it may be necessary to visit the hospital and observe the pediatric or intensive care unit. There are also severe cases that require the patient to be intubated.
In mild subglottic laryngitis, it is enough to administer glucocorticosteroids to the child in the hospital by intramuscular, inhalation or oral route. Then, after observation, it is sent home with the parent (if the symptoms do not get worse, of course). It is not necessary to use antibiotics as subglottic laryngitis is a viral disease.
In addition, the child should be in a well-ventilated and moistened room, for this you can use special air humidifiers and regularly ventilate the apartment. An alternative to a humidifier can be placing damp towels on the radiators or placing a vessel with steaming water in the room.
Can you completely heal yourself?
The symptoms of subglottic laryngitis usually resolve on their own, and in most children, barking coughs will ease after about 48 hours. However, less than 5 percent. children require hospitalization.
Note: It is worth protecting your child from possible complications by following the doctor’s instructions. Incorrect treatment of subglottic laryngitis can even lead to meningitis.