Which term is described by swelling of the epiglottis leading to airway obstruction?

• A. Croup
• B. Epiglottitis
• C. Pyloric Stenosis
• D. RSV

Answer: (B)

Swelling of the epiglottis that narrows the airway leads to epiglottitis. When the epiglottis inflames and enlarges, it can sit right above the trachea and block airflow, causing urgent respiratory distress. This is the classic description of epiglottitis, which is distinct from other airway or GI conditions. For example, croup involves laryngeal and subglottic edema with a barking cough and typically slower onset; pyloric stenosis is a narrowing at the stomach outlet causing vomiting in infants; RSV causes viral bronchiolitis affecting the lower airways rather than the epiglottis. In epiglottitis, you look for sudden high fever, severe throat pain, drooling, and a muffled voice with signs of possible airway obstruction, and management focuses on securing the airway and starting appropriate antibiotics, with imaging possibly showing a thumbprint sign on a side neck X-ray.