Foreign Body Aspiration

Primarily diagnose during the first day of Acute Cough [once the FB reaches the lung, there’s no more cough until / unless a pneumonia develops.

Risk factors: Young Child, person with compromised gag reflex.  Symptoms commonly begin while eating.

Physical Exam: Respiratory Distress and / or Stridor (call 911).

For pneumonias that recur in the exact same location, consider presence of FB (or tumor).  Diagnose by CT / bronchoscopy / fluoroscopy.

See posting Acute Cough – 1.