1. Watch for Fever Symptoms
Your child will develop severe symptoms that include malaise, a high body temperature, chills and sweats when tracheitis begins. Mostly preschool-aged children are affected by this windpipe infection, since kids in this age group have smaller breathing passageways that are more prone to swelling and blockage.
2. Identify the Tracheitis Cough
If you suspect your child may have contracted tracheitis, you'll hear him develop a deep, distinctive cough. It sounds similar to the type of cough a croup sufferer gets, except that croup treatments won't help. At first, the cough may seem much like a normal cough your child might get if he catches a common cold, but after a few days, it will sound more like a seal barking. Generally speaking, your child's cough will become more severe at night.
3. The Onset of Stridor
You'll probably notice that your child exhibits a pronounced wheezing sound when she draws a breath, which worsens as the infection takes hold. This sign is called stridor, and it, along with the barking cough, is a classic telltale sign of tracheitis.
4. Blood Oxygen-Level Diagnostic Tests
Because your child's inhibited breathing reduces the amount of oxygen he is able to take in, your pediatrician may use blood oxygen-level tests to see whether the amount of oxygen in the blood is consistent with the reduced levels normally seen with tracheitis. These tests are not intrusive and won't cause your child any undue discomfort.
5. Bacterial Culture Tests
Should X-rays prove inconclusive, your doctor may choose to use one of two common bacterial culture tests to confirm the tracheitis diagnosis. Depending on where your doctor suspects the infection is harbored, she may use a nasopharyngeal or tracheal culture. The technique used to gather these cultures is relatively simple. Your pediatrician will take a swab at the chosen site and send it for laboratory analysis. If tracheitis is confirmed, your doctor will then proceed to choose a treatment method.
