The condition where stridor worsens in the supine position is indicative of which diagnosis?

The diagnosis indicated by stridor that worsens in the supine position is consistent with laryngomalacia. Laryngomalacia is characterized by the softening of the tissue above the vocal cords, which can lead to airway obstruction, particularly during inhalation. In infants and young children with laryngomalacia, the condition is often exacerbated when the child is lying flat (supine), as gravity can increase the collapse of the floppy airway tissues during breathing, leading to more pronounced stridor.

When these children are upright, gravity assists in keeping the airway open, resulting in less stridor and easier breathing. This positional dependence is a hallmark of laryngomalacia and helps distinguish it from other conditions such as laryngotracheobronchitis, vascular rings, or foreign body aspiration, which do not typically present with a positional change that influences the severity of stridor in this manner.

Laryngotracheobronchitis, commonly known as croup, tends to present with a barking cough and stridor that can be aggravated by URI but is not specifically related to the supine position. Vascular rings can cause airway obstruction as well, but stridor typically does not worsen with position changes in the same way. Foreign body