Neurogenic Stridor in Infancy

THE SYMPTOMS of inspiratory laryngeal stridor, as frequently seen in pediatrics, fall into a wide spectrum of diseases that constitute a perplexing of differential diagnosis. At one end of the scale are found those infants who have nothing more than inspiratory stridor which interferes with the usual techniques; the mothers are frequently reassured, without detailed diagnostic studies, that this is due to a minor epiglottic abnormality which, in the course of the first year of life, will correct itself and is commonly called congenital laryngeal stridor. 1 The other end of the spectrum is less well defined and includes those infants with symptoms of laryngeal stridor in association with apnea and cyanosis. Such infants are frequently thought to represent a convulsive disorder or feeding problem or may even be treated for the now generally unacceptable condition of an enlarged thymus. Detailed clinical studies often demonstrate a normal child