Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
What Is Treacheolmalacia? | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
What is treacheolmalacia, the signs of it, and how can it be treated?
— Andriabarnes in Garland, TX | | | ANSWER |
January 31, 2002 | | | Dear Andriabarnes,
Tracheomalacia means "weakening" or "softening" of the windpipe, or trachea (pronounced TRAY-kee-ah), which is the tube that carries air from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Normally, this tube is held open by rings of stiff cartilage. In some children, the cartilage doesn’t develop normally, leaving the trachea soft and prone to closing off. Sometimes tracheomalacia results from having had a tube placed in the trachea to help with breathing (for example, when a child is put on a ventilator in an Intensive Care Unit).
The main symptom of tracheomalacia is noisy breathing. In particular, it can cause a noise that sounds like crowing or a seal barking. The medical term for this noise is “stridor.” Tracheomalacia also can cause wheezing. Sometimes the children have a persistent cough and/or feeding problems.
Children with tracheomalacia should be followed closely by their healthcare providers, usually along with a children's ear, nose, and throat specialist (also known as an otolaryngologist). In most cases, they will simply outgrow this condition. Rarely, children need surgery to help keep their tracheas open, or to insert a tracheostomy tube that lets them breathe more comfortably until their trachea is strong enough to function normally.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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