[Anatomic and physiologic features of upper airways in children]

Anatomy of the upper aerodigestive tract in neonates and young children depends on the craniofacial growth. Skull base forms an horizontal line at birth. This line becomes concave inferiorly during the growth. This feature explains the high position of the larynx and its close proximity with the inferior edge of the soft palate. This gives a medial nasopharyngolaryngeal airway and two lateral digestive oropharyngeal ways. During the first years young children have a predominant nasal breath. Knowledge of the position, the conformation and the axial inferior and anterior obliquity of the larynx does facilitate its visualisation during laryngoscopy or intubation. The narrowness of the nasal cavities in neonates must be analysed in taking care of suprahyoid dyspnea in a neonate.