Laryngomalacia Quiz

Check your symptoms and
find possible causes with AI for free

Reviewed By:

Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC

Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Ear, nose, throat (ENT))

Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).

Rohini R, MD

Rohini R, MD (Ear, nose, throat (ENT))

Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Please choose the symptom you are most concerned about.

It will help us optimize further questions for you.

By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Find another symptom

How Ubie can help you

With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.

  • Trained and reviewed by 50+ doctors, our AI Symptom Checker utilizes data from 1,500+ medical centers

  • Questions are customized to your situation and symptoms

  • Laryngomalacia as well as similar diseases can be checked at the same time.

Your symptoms

Input your symptoms

Our AI

Our AI checks your symptoms

Your report

You get your personalized report

Your personal report will tell you

✔︎  When to see a doctor

✔︎  What causes your symptoms

✔︎  Treatment information etc.

People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes

  • Noisy breathing

  • Shortness of breath when lying down

  • Breathing out is easy but breathing in is difficult

  • Wake up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath

  • Feeling that I am suffocating and will die from the breathlessness

  • Respiratory wheeze

  • Shortness of breath in the morning

Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.

Learn more about Laryngomalacia

Content updated on Nov 2, 2022

What is laryngomalacia?

Laryngomalacia literally translates to floppy voice box (larynx). The laryngeal structure is malformed and floppy, causing the tissues to fall over the airway opening and partially block it. It often presents shortly after birth with noisy breathing (stridor) and in severe cases can result in poor weight gain. Of note, there are many other reasons for neonates to have stridor and these conditions should be evaluated by a specialist to confirm the diagnosis and make sure it is nothing more serious.

Symptoms of laryngomalacia

  • Feeling breathless

  • Noisy breathing; e.g. wheezing, rattling

  • Child's skin turns pale or blue after crying

  • Child is not drinking any fluids

  • Child refuses to eat

Questions your doctor may ask to check for laryngomalacia

Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose laryngomalacia

  • Are you breathless or having hard time breathing?

  • Is your breathing noisy; e.g. wheezing, rattling?

  • Does the child's skin turn pale or blue after crying?

  • Is your child not drinking any fluids?

  • Does your child refuse to feed or has problems feeding?

Treatment for laryngomalacia

In most cases, laryngomalacia goes away on its own within a year. However, if it is severe, medication or surgery may be necessary. Often gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) contributes to the laryngomalacia, and anti-reflux medication may be prescribed.

View the symptoms of Laryngomalacia

  • Shortness of breath

  • Wheezing

References

  • Bedwell J, Zalzal G. Laryngomalacia. Semin Pediatr Surg. 2016 Jun;25(3):119-22. doi: 10.1053/j.sempedsurg.2016.02.004. Epub 2016 Feb 18. PMID: 27301595.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1055858616000184?via%3Dihub

  • Klinginsmith M, Goldman J. Laryngomalacia. 2022 Jun 5. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 31334986.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544266/

  • Dobbie AM, White DR. Laryngomalacia. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2013 Aug;60(4):893-902. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2013.04.013. Epub 2013 Jun 14. PMID: 23905826.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031395513000722?via%3Dihub

User testimonials

Reviewed By:

Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC

Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Ear, nose, throat (ENT))

Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).

Rohini R, MD

Rohini R, MD (Ear, nose, throat (ENT))

Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.

From our team of 50+ doctors

Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.

Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide

Maxwell J. Nanes, DO

Maxwell J. Nanes, DO

Emergency department

Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha Wisconsin, USA

Caroline M. Doan, DO

Caroline M. Doan, DO

Internal medicine

Signify Health

Benjamin Kummer, MD

Benjamin Kummer, MD

Neurology

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Charles Carlson, DO, MS

Charles Carlson, DO, MS

Psychiatry

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Dale Mueller, MD

Dale Mueller, MD

Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular surgery

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD

Ravi P. Chokshi, MD

Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), Critical Care

Penn State Health

View our medical experts