Question
Babies occasionally have difficulty breathing while breastfeeding, and sometimes accompanied by sounds in the throat. This situation has been ongoing for 5 days, and parents are not clear about the cause and have no experience in treating it.
Answer
This condition may be caused by congenital laryngeal cartilage softening, a disease that usually appears soon after birth. This is due to the incomplete development of the laryngeal cartilage, which causes the collapse of laryngeal tissue during inhalation, narrowing the airway and leading to laryngophonia. This condition often resolves spontaneously as the baby grows older. Generally, congenital laryngeal cartilage softening will heal by itself between 2 and 3 years of age. During the baby’s growth, parents should pay attention to preventing colds and shocks to avoid triggering respiratory infections and laryngospasm, which can exacerbate breathing difficulties.