Why is airway obstruction more likely in infants compared with adults?

• A. It is due to airway edema in the trachea
• B. Because the tongue is proportionally larger in infants
• C. Because the epiglottis is absent in infants
• D. Because infants have smaller lungs

Answer: (B)

Infants are more prone to airway obstruction mainly because their tongue is proportionally larger relative to the size of their oral cavity. With a small jaw and a high, forward-positioned larynx, the large tongue can fall backward and partially block the airway, especially when the infant is not sitting upright or is resting. In adults, the airway space is larger and the tongue is a smaller proportion of that space, so it’s less likely to occlude the airway.

Airway edema in the trachea can cause obstruction but isn’t the normal reason infants are more prone. The epiglottis is present in infants (not absent), though it can be floppy; and infants having smaller lungs doesn’t directly account for a tendency toward airway obstruction from the tongue.