A boy aged 30 months presents with respiratory distress. He was diagnosed with croup one week ago and received a single dose of
dexamethasone. His cough had nearly resolved until yesterday, when coughing worsened, and he developed nasal congestion. This evening, he developed inspiratory stridor, increased work of breathing, and a fever to 103°F. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Bacterial tracheitis is a bacterial infection of the trachea. A good way to treat this infection can be done in two steps. Firstly, the airway should be cleared of any obstruction and make sure the patient can breathe properly. Secondly, an intravenous course of antibiotics should be prescribed to treat the infection. It is very important to make sure the patient can breathe properly first, before addressing the infection.
