The Cribsiders S7 Ep149: Squeaks, Squawks, and Stridor: Approach to Laryngomalacia
Aug 13, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Dr. Eileen Rayner, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Duke and leader of their Pediatric ENT Program, shares her expertise on laryngomalacia. She explains how to recognize its signs and the importance of scoping in diagnosis. The discussion highlights effective management strategies, including when surgical intervention may be necessary. Listeners will appreciate her insights on balancing a medical career with personal life and the critical techniques for assessing respiratory sounds in infants.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
What Laryngomalacia Is
- Laryngomalacia is floppy supraglottic tissue that obstructs the glottis during inspiration.
- Definitive diagnosis requires visualizing the vocal cords with a scope.
Evaluate Symptoms And Growth Early
- Ask about timing, feeding triggers, position changes, and growth when evaluating noisy breathing.
- Check for retractions, cyanosis, apnea, and review the growth chart to assess severity.
Why Inspiratory Stridor Happens
- Inspiratory stridor results from turbulent airflow when supraglottic tissue obstructs inspiration.
- Louder turbulence means louder noise, making laryngomalacia the most common cause of infant stridor.