Laryngospasm

Description:

Laryngospasm — suddenly arising pristupoobrazny convulsive spasm of muscles of a throat causing narrowing or full closing of a glottis.

Laryngospasm symptoms:

The laryngospasm at children is shown by the sudden noisy whistling complicated breath, pallor or cyanosis of the person, inclusion in the act of breath of auxiliary muscles, a neck muscle tension. During an attack the head of the child is thrown usually back back, the mouth is widely open, cold sweat, threadlike pulse, a temporary cessation of breathing are noted. Then owing to accumulation in an organism of carbonic acid and irritation of a respiratory center breath is recovered. In mild cases the attack lasts several seconds, coming to an end with the extended breath then the child begins to breathe deeply and rhythmically, sometimes for a while fills up. Attacks can repeat several times in days, usually in the afternoon. In hard cases when the attack is more long, generalized spasms, foam from a mouth, a loss of consciousness, an involuntary urination and defecation, a cardiac standstill are possible. At a long attack there can come death from asphyxia.

The hysterical laryngospasm at adult patients is combined with spasms of a throat, gullet, extremities; the attack quickly stops independently. Sometimes the attack reminds an epileptic seizure. In mild cases it can be limited to short-term narrowing of a glottis, a long breath of the whistling character, blanching or a posineniye of the person, a noisy breath or a short asthma, a sobbing.

Laryngospasm reasons:

Increase in excitability of the neuromuscular device of a throat is the cornerstone of a laryngospasm. It is observed preferential at the children who are on artificial feeding at change of reactivity of an organism, disbolism, a lack of an organism of salts of calcium and vitamin D, against the background of bronchial pneumonia, rickets, a chorea, a spasmophilia, hydrocephaly, a mental injury, a puerperal injury, etc. Can lead inhalation of the air containing the irritating substances to a laryngospasm (dust, etc.), greasing of a mucous membrane of a throat some medicines, irritation of the wandering or recurrent guttural nerve (a craw, a tumor, aneurism), nervousness. It is observed also at hysteria, an eclampsia, tetanus, back to tabes. At children can develop in time of crying, cough, laughter, at a fright, a poperkhivaniye.

Treatment of the Laryngospasm:

During an attack it is necessary to calm the patient, to provide inflow of fresh air, to allow to drink waters, to sprinkle the person cold water, to give oxygen, to apply the irritating influence (to pinch skin, to clap on a back, to pull for language, etc.). The laryngospasm can be removed, having offered the patient is longer to hold the breath then there comes the normal breath, or to cause an emetic reflex touch by the pallet, a spoon to a language root. Recommend also inhalation through a nose of vapors of liquid ammonia, introduction of anticonvulsants (an enema with Chlorali hydras — 0,3 — 0,5 g for 1 glass of water), and in long cases — heat baths, in 0,5% potassium bromide solution on 1 teaspoon 2 times a day (for children of a dose of the listed drugs depend on age). Extremely seldom resort to an intubation of a trachea or a tracheostomy. In all cases of the repeating laryngospasm consultation of the doctor is necessary. Fortifying therapy and a hardening are shown. Appoint drugs of calcium, vitamin D, ultra-violet radiation, the rational mode with long stay in the fresh air, preferential milk and vegetable food.

The forecast is more often favorable. At children the laryngospasm, as a rule, disappears with age.