Stridor – Paediatric

Referral to Emergency Department

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergency medical advice if in a remote region:

• Abscess or haematoma (e.g. peritonsillar, parapharyngeal (quinsy), salivary, neck or retropharyngeal abscess)
• Acutely enlarging neck mass with any associated airway symptoms e.g. stridor, drooling, dysphagia etc
• Airway compromise: severe stridor/drooling/ breathing difficulty/acute, sudden voice change/ severe odynophagia
• Foreign body (button batteries – inhaled or ingested) if suspicion of button battery immediate emergency review
• Hoarseness associated with neck trauma or surgery
• If new onset hoarse voice and any airway obstructive symptoms  
• Post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage
• Trauma

Immediately contact on-call registrar or service to arrange an immediate ENT assessment (seen within 7 days) for:

• Nil

To contact the relevant service, please see HealthPathways: Acute Paediatric ENT Assessment