Compared to adults, a child's airway is more vulnerable to obstruction by which structure?

• A. The tongue
• B. The epiglottis
• C. The vocal cords
• D. The trachea

Answer: (A)

In kids, the airway is most easily blocked by the tongue because the tongue is relatively large compared to the size of the oral cavity. When a child relaxes or loses airway muscle tone (such as when sleepy, sedated, or unconscious), the tongue can fall back and occlude the upper airway, especially in a supine position. Adults have proportionally smaller tongues for their airway size and more space behind the tongue, so this particular obstruction is less likely.

The other structures listed—epiglottis, vocal cords, and the trachea—can cause obstruction in certain conditions (epiglottitis, laryngospasm, swelling, trauma, or a foreign body), but they are not the typical cause of airway obstruction in most pediatric cases.