Abstract
Fourteen children were diagnosed as having unilateral or bilateral laryngeal paralysis at the Department of Otolaryngology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine between 1985 and 1991. The ratio of bilateral paralyses was high compared to adult cases. Most of the congenital paralyses were idiopathic, whereas the causes of all acquired paralyses were known. The congenital idiopathic paralyses generally recovered suggesting that birth trauma may be involved in these cases. Management of the respiration was important since stridor besides hoarseness was found even in many of the unilateral paralyses. Tracheostomy was necessary in 3 of 4 bilateral paralyses while endotracheal intubation was necessary in the other one as well as in 2 unilateral paralyses.
