A 4 years old boy presents complaints of dysphagia, fever, drooling, and muffled voice. Symptoms have progressively worsened over the course of the day. He is toxic-appearing, and leans forward while sitting on his mother’s lap. He is drooling, and speaks with a muffled “hot potato” voice. The parents deny trauma or evidence of foreign body ingestion. What are the most important differential diagnoses?

Of the relevant differential diagnoses, it is important to rule out diptheriae, peritonsillar or retropharyngeal abscess and foreign body aspiration.

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This post was written by Omar Rifai