Sudden oronasal bleeding in a young child

Sudden severe upper‐airway obstruction occurring in a hospital setting can sometimes precipitate an episode of acute haemorrhagic pulmonary oedema. A review of 197 published case reports shows that the presenting feature is almost always the sudden appearance of blood stained fluid coming up through the larynx or out through the mouth and nose of an adult or child in obvious respiratory distress. Such overt features are seen in 10–15% of cases of sudden severe, but sub‐lethal, upper‐airway obstruction. Signs normally appear within minutes once the obstruction is relieved but are occasionally only recognized after 1–4 h. All signs and symptoms usually resolve within 12–24 h. Other causes of acute pulmonary haemorrhage are rare in young children. Conclusion: If what looks like blood is seen in, or coming from, the mouth or nose of a previously healthy young child who has suddenly become distressed and started to struggle for breath, that child has most probably suffered an episode of acute pulmonary oedema, and the commonest precipitating cause is sudden upper‐airway obstruction.