Epiglottitis is inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis. It’s often caused by an infection, but can also sometimes happen as a result of a throat injury. The epiglottis is a flap of tissue that sits beneath the tongue at the back of the throat.

It stays open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx. During swallowing, it closes to prevent aspiration of food into the lungs, forcing the swallowed liquids or food to go along the esophagus toward the stomach instead.

During breathing, air travels from your mouth and pharynx into the larynx (toward your lungs). When you swallow, a flap called the epiglottis moves to block the entrance of food particles into your larynx and lungs. The muscles of the larynx pull upward to assist with this movement.

What is the treatment for epiglottitis?

1. intravenous fluids for nutrition and hydration until you’re able to swallow again.
2. antibiotics to treat a known or suspected bacterial infection.
3. anti-inflammatory medication, such as corticosteroids, to reduce the swelling in your throat.

Visible epiglottis is a rare anatomical variant which is usually asymptomatic without the need of any medical or surgical intervention. It is most commonly seen in children but there are some reports of its prevalence in adults too. Cases of visible epiglottis seem to be unfamiliar among dental professionals.

It opens when your child breathes and closes when he swallows. Epiglottitis in children is most commonly caused by a bacteria called Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib). It can also happen when your child breathes in very hot steam, certain chemicals, or smoke from a fire.

How is epiglottitis diagnosed?

1. A laryngoscopy, using a small camera at the end of a flexible tube, is done to examine the throat.
2. A swab of the throat is taken to test for bacteria or viruses.

Ceftriaxone is the antibiotic of choice (DOC) for epiglottitis. This agent is a third-generation cephalosporin with broad-spectrum activity against gram-negative organisms, lower efficacy against gram-positive organisms, and higher efficacy against resistant organisms.

If your epiglottitis is related to an infection, you will be given intravenous antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotic. The infection needs quick treatment. So you or your child will likely receive a broad-spectrum drug right away, rather than after your doctor receives the results of the blood and tissue cultures.

Epiglottitis is a medical emergency. If you or someone you know suddenly has trouble breathing and swallowing, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Try to keep the person quiet and upright, because this position may make it easier to breathe.

Although both acute epiglottitis and croup share the same symptoms of inspiratory stridor, suprasternal, intercostal and substernal retractions and hoarseness, differentiation in early illness is possible by additional observation of barking cough and absence of drooling and dysphagia in croup and by the additional …

Croup and epiglottitis share symptoms and signs including stridor, fever and respiratory distress. Croup uncommonly causes severe airway obstruction and has a slow course, whereas untreated epiglottitis rapidly culminates in complete obstruction, shock and may be fatal.

Thirty-seven percent of children with epiglottitis and 16% with croup were treated as having another respiratory illness at least once before definitive diagnosis. Conclusions: Epiglottitis and croup are often confused because they share symptoms and signs including stridor.

Croup is usually caused by a virus, such as the parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Sadly, it’s difficult to prevent your child from developing croup, as a number of common cold viruses can cause the condition.