Breathing sounds, abnormal

Alternative names:

stridor

Home care:

Follow prescribed therapy in treating the underlying cause. See also first-aid measures for choking.

Call your health care provider if:

• there is any indication of unexplained stridor, especially in a child.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

In emergency situations, vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) will be monitored and the Heimlich maneuver may be necessary. Then the medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed. Intubation (insertion of a "breathing tube") may be necessary if there is inability to breathe properly (respiratory failure).

Medical history questions documenting abnormal breathing sounds in detail may include:

• quality
  • Is the abnormal breathing sounds a high-pitched sound?

• time pattern
  • Did it begin suddenly?

• aggravating factors
  • Is it possible that the child may have put something in his (her) mouth and gotten it into their windpipe?
  • Has the child been ill recently?

• other
  • Is the child's neck or face swollen?
  • Has the child been coughing or complaining of a sore throat?
  • What other symptoms are also present?
  • Is there nasal flaring?
  • Is the child using their chest muscles to breathe (intercostal retractions)?
  • Does the child have blue lips, blue nailbeds, or bluish color of the skin?

The physical examination will include monitoring the vital signs and listening to the lungs.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• arterial blood gas analysis
• bronchoscopy
• CT scan, thoracic
• laryngoscopy
• X-ray of the chest

After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to stridor to your personal medical record.