Abstract
Acute obstructive respiratory emergencies in children are a common cause of emergency department visits. The severity of these conditions ranges from mild, self-limited disease to life-threatening forms of rapidly progressive airway obstruction. A high index of suspicion is necessary for prompt diagnosis and treatment. This review discusses general principles of assessing and managing respiratory emergencies in children, as well as clinical characteristics and treatment of specific conditions such as croup, epiglottitis, bacterial tracheitis, retropharyngeal abscess, foreign bodies, and inhalational injuries.
- pediatric
- respiratory
- emergency
- croup
- epiglottitis
- bacterial tracheitis
- retropharyngeal abscess
- foreign bodies
- burns
- inhalation
- helium
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Alexandre T Rotta MD, Division of Pediatric Critical Care, The Children's Hospital of Buffalo, 219 Bryant Street, Buffalo NY 14222. E-mail: arotta{at}buffalo.edu.
Alexandre T Rotta MD presented a version of this report at the 31st Respiratory Care Journal Conference, Current Trends in Neonatal and Pediatric Respiratory Care, August 16-18, 2002, in Keystone, Colorado.
- Copyright © 2003 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.
