ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the evaluation and management principles of a child with stridor. A child labelled with a 'diagnosis' of stridor may have significant underlying pathology. Neonates and young children develop upper airway obstruction and respiratory failure more readily than older children and adults. Feeding is one of the most strenuous activities for a neonate and is closely connected with breathing. It is therefore vulnerable to compromise in upper airway pathology. Lung function tests such as flow volume loops provide a graphical representation of inspiratory and expiratory flow. Transfer of a seriously ill child with stridor to a centre of anaesthetic and surgical expertise may be necessary. The Advanced Paediatric Life Support framework teaches that the right child should be taken at the right time, by the right people, to the right place, by the right form of transport, and receive the right care throughout. This is often best achieved by a specialized children's retrieval team with advanced life-support capabilities.
