URTI and Upper Respiratory Problems Flashcards
Common respiratory tract infections?
- Rhinosinusitis
- Acute pharyngitis
- AOM
- Retropharyngeal and Lateral pharyngeal (parapharyngeal) abscesses
- Tonsilitis and adenoiditis
- Acute inflammatory Upper airway obstruction
Note: Children <2yr in child-care centers have more URTI and LRTI than do age-matched children not in child care.
Causes of rhinosinusitis?
- Rhinoviruses
- coronaviruses
- HMPV
Causes of acute pharyngitis?
- viruses
- GABHS
- 30% of URTI
Causes of AOM?
- S. pneumoniae
- nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
Causes of acute inflammatory upper airway obstruction?
- Croup
- epiglottitis
- laryngitis
- Bacterial tracheitis
What is otitis media?
Inflammation of the middle ear
- One of the most common childhood infections
Characteristics of otitis media?
Bulging erythematous tympanic membrane with impaired mobility
Epidemiology of otitis media?
- The peak incidence and prevalence of OM is during the 1st 2 yr of life
- More than 80% of children experience at least one episode of OM by the age of 3 yr
How to classify otitis media?
- Acute - less than 14 days
- Chronic - more than 14 days
Treatment of otitis media?
- Amoxicillin
- Ear wicking for chronic supurative otitis media
Local complications of otitis media?
- Hearing impairment
- mastoiditis
Intracranial complications of otitis media?
- Meningitis
- epidural abscess
- subdural abscess
- focal encephalitis
- brain abscess
- sigmoid sinus thrombosis
Importance of a patent airway in newborns?
Most newborn infants are obligate nasal breathers
1. Nasal obstruction presenting at birth may be life-threatening
2. Nasal passages contribute 50% of the total resistance
What are the causes of nasal congestion with obstruction in the 1st year of life?
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Enlarged adenoids
What is nasal flaring?
a sign of respiratory distress
- reduces the resistance to inspiratory airflow through the nose and can improve ventilation
Describe the nasal airway in children?
- Internal nasal airway doubles in size in the 1st 6months of life
- The lumen of an infant’s or child’s airway is narrow
- The area just below the vocal cords is the narrowest portion in <10year olds
Consequences of mucosal edema in a newborn?
Minor reductions in cross-sectional area due to mucosal edema or other inflammatory processes cause an exponential increase in airway resistance and a significant increase in the work of breathing
Supportive care in airway obstruction?
- Bulb syringe and saline nose drops
- Topical nasal decongestants, and antibiotics, when indicated, improve symptoms in affected infants
What is allergic rhinitis?
Inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis?
- Nasal congestion
- rhinorrhea
- itching
Allergic rhinitis is associated with?
- conjunctivitis
- sinusitis
- otitis media
- serous otitis
- hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids
- eczema
Causes of obstruction of the pharyngeal airway?
Enlarged tonsils, adenoids, tongue, or syndromes with midface hypoplasia
- Worse during sleep than during waking.
Describe features of laryngeal, tracheal or bronchial obstruction?
Worse when awake, exacerbated by exertion
What is choanal atresia (bilateral)?
a congenital disorder in which the nasal choanae (paired openings that connect the nasal cavity with the nasopharynx) are occluded by soft tissue (membranous), bone, or a combination of both due to failed recanalization of the nasal fossae during fetal development
Symptoms of choanal atresia?
- Respiratory distress
- cyanosis
- worse with feeding - relieved by crying
Diagnosis of choanal atresia?
- Inability to pass a catheter through each nostril 3-4cm into the nasopharynx.
- Direct visualization with fiberoptic rhinoscopy.
- CT
Treatment of choanal atresia?
- Oral airway
- Drilling
- Stents are left in place for weeks after the repair to prevent closure or stenosis
Tonsilitis?
inflammation of the tonsils (2 oval shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat)
- usually caused by a viral infection but can be from a bacterial infection
e.g. group A streptococcus