What clinical manifestation should a nurse teach a parent to recognize in an infant with tracheomalacia?

In infants with tracheomalacia, the clinical manifestation that is most significant to recognize is stridor. Tracheomalacia is characterized by the weakening of the tracheal walls, leading to airway collapse, especially during expiration when the intrathoracic pressure increases. This condition can result in noisy breathing due to turbulent airflow through the narrowed trachea.

Stridor is a high-pitched, wheezing sound that is heard during inhalation and is indicative of upper airway obstruction. In cases of tracheomalacia, stridor is often more prominent when the infant is active or expelling air due to the compromised airway's inability to remain patent.

Recognizing stridor is important for parents as it signals potential respiratory distress, requiring attention and possible intervention. In contrast, barking cough is more commonly associated with croup, while wheezing is typically linked to lower airway conditions like bronchospasm. A runny nose, while a common symptom in many infant illnesses, does not directly correlate with the airway problems seen in tracheomalacia. Thus, teaching parents to recognize stridor allows for early identification and management of any underlying respiratory issues the infant may face.