Laryngomalacia

What it is

Laryngomalacia, also called congenital laryngeal stridor, is a congenital abnormality in the laryngeal cartilage, a weak supraglottic framework, which leads to collapse during inspiration.

It is one of the chronic congenital causes of stridor, alongside choanal atresia, vallecular cysts, thyroglossal cysts and tongue dermoid or teratoma. Stridor itself is a monophonic, high-pitched inspiratory sound caused by narrowing of the upper or central airway.

How it presents

Symptoms begin within the first 2 months of life and peak at 6-8 months. The stridor is increased on crying and with RTIs, but subsides in the prone or supine position.