A patient presents to the ER with subglottic swelling. What is this condition also known as?

Subglottic swelling refers to the narrowing of the airway just below the vocal cords, which can lead to respiratory distress. This condition is predominantly associated with croup, a common respiratory condition in children characterized by a distinctive barking cough, stridor, and hoarseness due to inflammation of the upper airway.

Croup is often caused by viral infections, most frequently the parainfluenza virus, and results in swelling in the larynx and subglottic area. The hallmark presentation of croup includes the identifiable symptoms tied to subglottic edema, which can cause significant breathing difficulties due to the narrowed airway.

In contrast, asthma typically involves bronchospasm and inflammation in the lower airways, bronchiolitis is an infection affecting the small airways in the lungs primarily in infants, and laryngitis refers to inflammation of the larynx itself, which may cause changes in voice quality or hoarseness but is not specifically characterized by the subglottic swelling.

Croup is the condition that accurately aligns with the presentation of subglottic swelling, making it the correct choice.