CNN

Symptoms in children
In children, signs and symptoms of epiglottitis may develop within a matter of hours, including:

• Fever
• Severe sore throat
• Difficult and painful swallowing
• Drooling due to severe pain when swallowing
• Anxious, restless behavior
• Greater comfort when sitting up or leaning forward

Symptoms in adults
For adults, signs and symptoms may develop more slowly, over days rather than hours. Signs and symptoms may include:

• Severe sore throat
• A muffled or hoarse voice
• Harsh, raspy breathing
• Difficulty breathing

When to see a doctor
Epiglottitis is a medical emergency. If you or someone you know suddenly has trouble breathing and swallowing, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Try to keep the person quiet and upright, because this position may make it easier to breathe. Don't try to examine the person's throat yourself. This can make matters worse.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Epiglottitis is caused by an infection or an injury.

Infection
A common cause of swelling and inflammation of the epiglottis and surrounding tissues is infection with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria. Hib isn't the germ that causes the flu, but it's responsible for other serious conditions — including respiratory tract infections and meningitis.

Hib spreads through infected droplets coughed or sneezed into the air. It's possible to harbor Hib in your nose and throat without becoming sick — though you still have the potential to spread the bacteria to others.

Other bacteria and viruses also can cause inflammation of the epiglottis, including:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), another bacterium that causes meningitis, pneumonia, ear infections and blood infection (septicemia)
• Streptococcus A, B and C, a group of bacteria that cause diseases ranging from strep throat to blood infections
• Candida albicans, the fungus responsible for vaginal yeast infections, diaper rash and oral thrush
• Varicella zoster, the virus responsible for chickenpox and shingles

Injury
Physical injury, such as a direct blow to the throat, can cause epiglottitis. So can burns from drinking very hot liquids.

You also may develop signs and symptoms similar to those of epiglottitis if you:

• Swallow a chemical that burns your throat
• Swallow a foreign object
• Smoke drugs, such as crack cocaine

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Certain factors increase the risk of developing epiglottitis, including:

• Sex. Epiglottitis affects more males than females.
• Weak immune system. If your immune system has been weakened by illness or medication, you're more susceptible to the bacterial infections that may cause epiglottitis.
• Inadequate vaccination. Delayed or skipped immunizations can leave a child vulnerable to Hib and increases the risk of epiglottitis.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Epiglottis can cause a number of complications, including:

• Respiratory failure. The epiglottis is a small, movable "lid" just above the larynx that prevents food and drink from entering your windpipe. But if the epiglottis becomes swollen — either from infection or from injury — the airway narrows and may become completely blocked. This can lead to respiratory failure — a life-threatening condition in which the level of oxygen in the blood drops dangerously low or the level of carbon dioxide becomes excessively high.
• Spreading infection. Sometimes the bacteria that cause epiglottitis cause infections elsewhere in the body, such as pneumonia, meningitis or a blood infection (sepsis).

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Epiglottitis is a medical emergency; you won't have time to prepare for your appointment. The first doctor you'll see will probably be an emergency room physician.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

If the medical team suspects epiglottitis, the first priority is to ensure that your or your child's airway is open and that enough oxygen is getting through. Oxygen levels are monitored using a device called a pulse oximeter. This device, similar to a clothespin, clips on to a finger and measures the amount of oxygen saturation in your blood. If levels drop too low, you or your child will need help breathing.

Once your or your child's condition is stable, the doctor may:

• Examine the throat. Using a flexible fiber-optic tube, the doctor may look down your or your child's throat to see what's causing the symptoms. A local anesthetic can help relieve any discomfort.
• Request a chest or neck X-ray. Because of the danger of sudden breathing problems, children may have X-rays taken at their bedside rather than in the radiology department — but only after the airway is protected.
• Perform a throat culture and blood tests. For the culture, the epiglottis is wiped with a cotton swab and the tissue sample is checked for Hib. Blood cultures are usually taken because bacteremia — a severe bloodstream infection — may accompany epiglottitis.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Treatment of epiglottis involves first making sure you or your child can breathe, and then treating any infection you may have.

Helping you breathe
The first priority in treating epiglottitis is ensuring that you or your child is receiving enough air. This may mean wearing a mask that delivers oxygen to the lungs, though it's more likely that you or your child will have a breathing tube placed into the windpipe through the nose or mouth. The tube must remain in place until the swelling in your or your child's throat has decreased — sometimes for several days.

In extreme cases or if more conservative measures fail, the doctor may need to create an emergency airway by inserting a needle directly into an area of cartilage in your or your child's trachea. This procedure, called a tracheotomy, allows air into your lungs while bypassing the larynx.

Treating infection
If your epiglottitis is related to an infection, intravenous antibiotics will be given once you or your child is breathing freely. Until the doctor knows the results of the blood and tissue cultures, you or your child is likely to be treated with a broad-spectrum drug. The antibiotic may be changed later, depending on what's causing the epiglottitis.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.

Hib vaccine
Immunization with the Hib vaccine is an effective way to prevent epiglottitis caused by Hib. In the United States, children usually receive the vaccine in three or four doses:

• At 2 months
• At 4 months
• At 6 months if your child is being given the four-dose vaccine
• At 12 to 15 months

The Hib vaccine is generally not given to children older than age 5 or to adults because they're less likely to develop Hib infection. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for older children and adults whose immune systems have been weakened by:

• Sickle cell disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Spleen removal
• Chemotherapy
• Medications to prevent rejection of organ or bone marrow transplants

Vaccine side effects
Possible side effects of the Hib vaccine include redness, warmth or swelling at the injection site, and a fever. Rarely, a serious allergic reaction may cause difficulty breathing, wheezing, hives, weakness, a rapid heartbeat or dizziness within minutes or a few hours after the shot. If you have an allergic reaction to the vaccine, seek medical help immediately.

Common-sense precautions
Of course, the Hib vaccine doesn't offer guarantees. Immunized children have been known to develop epiglottitis — and other germs can cause epiglottitis, too. That's where common-sense precautions come in:

• Don't share personal items.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.

©1998-2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Terms of use.
Read this article on Mayoclinic.com.