Acute laryngitis in children
In the middle of the February cold night you are arriving to a two years old child suffering from shortness of breath. As you are coming, nervous father is waiting for you in front of the family house. “Well at last! Why did it take you such a long time?! Do not even take off your shoes....“ he utters angrily and guides you right to the children’s room. The boy is lying in his bed, his back is underlaid with few pillows and he is hardly breathing and wheezing. What are you going to do?
You will introduce yourself and ask about the boy’s problems. You will focus especially on a long term illnesses, vaccination, recent illnesses, illnesses in the boy’s locality and whether he is taking any medicine.
The boy does not look well and it is clear to you that you have to take a quick action. You will examine the boy straight away – especially the upper respiratory tract and thorough listening to the lungs.
The child is obviously upset as well as his parents, which can also make his condition worse. Thus, you calm his parents first and then you start the examination.
The child does not look well, so you ask the parents why did they hesitate so long to call a medical emergency.