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Symptoms

Symptoms Overview Aspiration Related Conditions

Symptoms of a laryngeal cleft are typically centered around eating, drinking, breathing, and speaking. While signs of a severe cleft will be apparent at birth or during the first few days, signs of a mild cleft may take weeks, months, or even years to show up, depending on the extent of the cleft. In general, the deeper the cleft, the quicker the symptoms will be noticed.

A child with a laryngeal cleft may have a few symptoms or many.  Symptoms will vary due to each child’s unique anatomy and a variety of other factors including:

  • cleft severity

  • other airway conditions, such as any type of malacia

  • other medical conditions

  • the child’s developmental level

  • environmental conditions (feeding position, allergens, etc.)

Symptoms Vary

 The following symptoms are commonly seen with a laryngeal cleft, though other symptoms may also exist:

Eating and Drinking Symptoms

  • choking, coughing, or distress 

  • wet, gurgling sounds

  • aspiration

  • gagging

  • inability or reluctance to eat or drink

  • poor weight gain/dehydration

Breathing, Lung, and Voice Symptoms

  • stridor (noisy breathing)

  • wet or congested breathing

  • croup/hoarse/wet voice

  • chronic cough

  • frequent lower respiratory infections (such as pneumonia)

  • asthma/reactive airway disease

Reviewed in 2024 by:
Reza Rahbar, MD, DMD — Pediatric Otolaryngology, Boston Children's Hospital
Michael Rutter, MD — Pediatric Otolaryngology, Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center