Stridor: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Medically reviewed by Harsha Moole, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor treats Stridor?
Stridor is often first checked by a pediatrician (a children's doctor) or a primary care doctor. An otolaryngologist, also called an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, usually finds the cause and treats it. Stridor that comes on suddenly with harder breathing needs emergency care. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What is stridor?
Stridor is an abnormal, high-pitched, musical breathing sound. It is caused by a blockage in the throat or voice box (larynx). It is most often heard when taking in a breath.
The airway can be blocked by an object, swollen tissues of the throat or upper airway, or a spasm of the airway muscles or the vocal cords. In young children, stridor is a sign of airway blockage.
Symptoms
The main sign is a high-pitched breathing sound. In babies, it is usually described as a repetitive or high-pitched squeaking sound.
Laryngomalacia is a common cause of stridor in babies. Babies with it may also have:
- Trouble feeding, or gasping or choking noises while feeding.
- Spitting up a lot and being fussy after feeds.
- Retractions, which means the skin in the neck or between the ribs is sucked in with every breath.
- Pauses in breathing while sleeping.
If your baby has any of these signs, they should be checked for laryngomalacia.
Causes and who gets it
Common causes of stridor include:
- An injury to the airway.
- An allergic reaction.
- Croup, which causes a barking cough.
- Epiglottitis, which is inflammation of the movable cartilage that covers the windpipe.
- Breathing in an object, such as a peanut or marble.
- Swollen tonsils or adenoids, such as with tonsillitis.
Children are at higher risk of airway blockage because they have narrower airways than adults. Stridor is most common in babies for the same reason.
In babies, the most common cause is laryngomalacia. This happens when the soft tissues of the voice box fall into the airway as the baby breathes in.
How doctors diagnose it
After you are stable, your provider may ask about your medical history and do a physical exam, which includes listening to your lungs.
Parents may be asked if the child could have put something in their mouth. Tests that may be done include:
- Laryngoscopy, which is an exam of the voice box.
- Pulse oximetry, which measures the oxygen level in the blood.
- An X-ray of the chest or neck.
- A chest CT scan.
A pediatric ear, nose, and throat specialist usually diagnoses laryngomalacia. The doctor does an exam called a flexible laryngoscopy. A small scope goes into the baby's nose in the office, so the doctor can see the vocal cords and voice box.
Treatment
Follow your provider's advice to treat the cause of the problem. In an emergency, your provider may need to do abdominal thrusts to clear the airway. A breathing tube may be needed if you can't breathe properly.
For laryngomalacia, most babies don't need treatment. As the cartilage in the voice box gets stronger, symptoms usually go away by the time a baby is a year old. It can take until about 18 months to 2 years to go away completely.
Many babies with laryngomalacia also have reflux, which is when stomach acid flows back up the esophagus. Reflux can make symptoms worse. A baby may need medicine for it.
Surgery may be needed if a baby has serious breathing problems, feeding problems, or is not gaining weight as expected. The surgery is called a supraglottoplasty. It is done through the baby's mouth with small instruments. It generally takes less than an hour, and the baby will likely stay overnight in the hospital.
When to see a doctor
Stridor may be a sign of an emergency. Contact your provider right away if there is unexplained stridor, especially in a child. Talk with your child's pediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's health.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if stridor starts suddenly with harder work to breathe, if stridor is continuous at rest and does not ease when the person changes position, or if there are pauses in breathing while awake. Also call 911 or go to the emergency room if the skin, lips, or nails look blue or grey, or if someone is choking or may have breathed in an object.
How a direct primary care or concierge doctor fits in
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. A doctor like this can ask when the noisy breathing started and what makes it better or worse, and can refer you to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.
Common questions
Is stridor an emergency?
It can be. Stridor may be a sign of an emergency, so contact your provider right away if there is unexplained stridor, especially in a child.
What causes stridor in babies?
The most common cause in babies is laryngomalacia, a common newborn condition in which the soft tissues of the voice box fall into the airway as the baby breathes in.
Does stridor in a baby go away on its own?
Stridor in a baby often goes away on its own when the cause is laryngomalacia. For most infants this condition is not serious and goes away with time. Symptoms usually go away by about a year of age, though it can take until about 18 months to 2 years.
Sources
- MedlinePlus - Stridor
- HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) - Stridor & Laryngomalacia: Is My Baby's Noisy Breathing Serious?
- NHS Healthier Together - Noisy breathing
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
