Descent of the human larynx: an unrecognized factor in airway distress in babies with cleft palate?

The intranarial epiglottis, a feature of all newborn mammals, allows suckling and breathing to continue almost simultaneously by separating an oral food stream from a nasal airstream. In contrast to other mammals, the human larynx descends in the neck between birth and six months, extending the distance between the caudal aspect of the soft palate and the cephalic tip of the epiglottis. The mechanism of airway protection changes from a pattern in which an upright epiglottis is grasped by an intact palatopharyngeal sphincter to one in which the epiglottis folds down over the laryngeal aditus and the adducted vocal folds.
Source: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology - Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research