Stridor

Overview :

Stridor occurs when erratic air currents attempt to force their way through breathing passages narrowed by:

• illness
• infection
• the presence of foreign objects
• throat abnormalities

Stridor can usually be heard from a distance but is sometimes audible only during deep breathing. Someone who has stridor may crow and wheeze when:

• inhaling
• exhaling
• inhaling and exhaling

Most common in young children, whose naturally small airways are easily obstructed, stridor can be a symptom of a life-threatening respiratory emergency.