Tracheomalacia

The first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis. There are multiple ways to diagnose tracheomalacia, but the best is a procedure called a dynamic bronchoscopy.

During a dynamic bronchoscopy, the doctor uses a thin instrument called a bronchoscope to look in your child’s airway to see whether his trachea is collapsing when he breathes out (or in).

Other ways of diagnosing tracheomalacia include:

• CAT (CT) scan–a non-invasive procedure that uses x-ray equipment and powerful computers to create detailed, cross-sectional images of your child's body
• airway fluoroscopy–a type of x-ray that allows the doctor to have a more detailed look at your child’s trachea

After we complete all necessary tests, our experts meet to review and discuss what they have learned about your child's condition. Then we meet with you and your family to discuss the results and outline the best treatment options.