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Pediatric COVID-19 presenting as supraglottitis with vocal cord hypomobility

Meghana Nadiger1,2, Manette Ness-Cochinwala1,2, Carolina Sanchez-Vegas2,3

  • 1Division of Critical Care Medicine, Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Miami, FL, USA.

SAGE Open Medical Case Reports
|February 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, or COVID-19, can affect children, sometimes causing critical upper airway issues like supraglottitis. This case highlights the evolving understanding of COVID-19

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Otolaryngology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) affects all age groups, with children representing a significant percentage of cases.
  • Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 in pediatric populations are still being documented.
  • Previous reports suggest a potential predilection for upper airway involvement in children with COVID-19.

Observation:

  • A 15-year-old female presented with symptoms indicative of upper airway compromise.
  • The patient exhibited supraglottitis and unilateral vocal cord hypomobility.
  • These findings raised concerns for a critical airway obstruction in the context of COVID-19.

Findings:

  • The case demonstrates a severe upper airway complication associated with COVID-19 in an adolescent.
  • Supraglottitis and vocal cord dysfunction were key clinical features.
  • Multidisciplinary management involving critical care, infectious diseases, and otolaryngology was essential.

Implications:

  • This case contributes to the limited but growing body of literature on pediatric COVID-19 presentations.
  • It underscores the importance of considering COVID-19 in the differential diagnosis of pediatric upper airway emergencies.
  • Further research is needed to fully characterize the spectrum of otolaryngologic manifestations of COVID-19 in children.

Keywords:
COVID-19pediatricsupraglottitisvocal cord hypomobility

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