Tracheitis

Alternative names:

acute bacterial tracheitis; bacterial tracheitis

Symptoms:

• increasing deep or barking croup-like cough following a previous upper respiratory infection
• crowing sound when the child inhales (inspiratory stridor)
• high fever
• very sick-looking child (toxic)
• breathing difficulty, increasing in severity over time
• intercostal retractions (the muscles between the ribs pull in as the child attempts to breathe)

Signs and tests:

• culture, nasopharyngeal (shows S. aureus or other organisms)
• culture, tracheal (shows S. aureus or other organisms)
• blood gasses (show decreased oxygen saturation, decreased pO2)
• X-ray of the trachea (shows narrowing of the tracheal airway, but the epiglottis is normal)
• purulent tracheal secretions may be obtained while placing the breathing tube in the patient