Fig 1 is a video explaining why children most commonly have tracheostomies.

Think about the patients you have seen with a tracheostomy.

What was the reason they needed it?

Table 1 lists some of the common reasons children have tracheostomies.

Fig 1 Mr Neil Bateman, Paediatric Otolaryngologist at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, explains why children most commonly need a tracheostomy.

Neurological reasons	Airway reasons
Ventilatory support	Lymphatic malformation / Teratoma
Neuromuscular disease	Craniofacial malformations
Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) / Ondine's curse	Multilevel airway collapse and OSA (MPS)
Secretion management	SGS
Chronic aspiration	Bilateral VCP
Pharyngeal hypotonia and airway collapse	Subglottic haemangioma
OSA	Tracheomalacia or Bronchomalacia (splint airway and facilitate pressure support)
	Failed extubation ('rest' larynx in severe post-intubation injury)
	Trauma

Table 1 Reasons children may have tracheostomies