Differential Diagnosis for Toddler Gasping for Air at End of Cough
- Single most likely diagnosis:
- Croup: This is a common condition in toddlers characterized by a barking cough, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing, often worse at night. The gasping for air at the end of a cough can be a sign of the obstruction caused by croup.
- Other Likely diagnoses:
- Asthma: Toddlers with asthma may experience coughing fits that end with gasping for air due to airway constriction.
- Bronchiolitis: This viral infection can cause wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing in young children, potentially leading to gasping for air.
- Pneumonia: Bacterial or viral pneumonia can cause severe coughing and respiratory distress, including gasping for air.
- Do Not Miss diagnoses:
- Epiglottitis: Although rare, this condition is life-threatening and can cause severe respiratory distress, including gasping for air, due to inflammation of the epiglottis.
- Foreign body aspiration: If a toddler inhales an object, it can cause sudden onset of coughing and gasping for air, which is a medical emergency.
- Anaphylaxis: A severe allergic reaction can cause respiratory distress, including coughing and gasping for air, and is potentially life-threatening.
- Rare diagnoses:
- Pulmonary embolism: Although extremely rare in toddlers, a pulmonary embolism can cause sudden onset of respiratory distress, including coughing and gasping for air.
- Congenital heart disease: Certain heart defects can cause respiratory symptoms, including coughing and difficulty breathing, which may worsen over time.
- Interstitial lung disease: A group of rare conditions that affect the lung tissue and can cause chronic coughing and respiratory distress.