A 5-year-old child is brought to the emergency department in severe respiratory distress with a diagnosis of epiglottitis. What measures must be performed to secure the child's airway?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child with clinical manifestations of epiglottitis (drooling, stridor, and respiratory distress) should not undergo a visual examination in the emergency department. The child should not be stimulated and should be kept as calm as possible. If the patient is stable, a soft tissue lateral neck radiograph (refer to Figure 13-8 in the textbook) can be performed. Radiologic findings include thickening of the epiglottis and aryepiglottic folds and the classic "thumbprint" sign. If the patient is not stable or if the diagnosis of epiglottitis has been made, the patient should be immediately transported to the operating room to be managed by an ENT surgeon and an anesthesiologist.

A 5-Year-Old Child Is Brought to the Emergency Department in Severe