A 3-year old well immunized male child is brought to the paediatric outpatient depament with sore throat, fever and noisy breathing with inability to swallow for the past four hours. Examination showed a toxic, tachypnoeic child with inspiratory stridor. There is suprasternal, supra clavicular and inter costal recession during inspiration. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis :
High-Yield Explanation
It is a case of Acute epiglottitis. A child of acute epiglottitis presents with acute onset fever and inspiratory stridor. The child usually also has dysphagia and drooling of saliva. Acute Laryngotracheobronchitis may have similar presentation but dysphagia is usually not seen. Diphtheria is effective ruled out as child is well immunized. Bronchopneumonia will not have inspiratory stridor