A nurse in a clinic is assisting with the care of a 3-year-old toddler. Exhibits The nurse is reviewing the collected data. For each finding, click to specify if the finding is consistent with acute laryngotracheobronchitis or pneumonia. Each finding may support more than 1 disease process.

Rationale: Type of cough: The characteristic "barking" cough is typical of acute laryngotracheobronchitis (also known as croup), which affects the upper airways and results in a harsh, barking cough. Pneumonia causes a productive cough, which is not noted here. The non-productive cough in this case is more indicative of laryngotracheobronchitis. Fever: A low-grade fever is common in acute laryngotracheobronchitis and is consistent with this case (38.2°C to 38.9°C). Pneumonia can also cause fever, especially a higher-grade fever, but the fever. Stridor: Inspiratory stridor is a hallmark sign of acute laryngotracheobronchitis, caused by narrowing of the upper airway, leading to a high-pitched sound when breathing in. Stridor is not typically associated with pneumonia, as pneumonia primarily affects the lungs and causes symptoms like cough, difficulty breathing, and chest pain rather than airway narrowing. Irritability: Irritability is common in acute laryngotracheobronchitis due to discomfort from the cough, difficulty breathing, and fever. Irritability can also be seen in pneumonia, particularly in young children who may be uncomfortable due to fever, difficulty breathing, and general malaise.