Question

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding the pediatric larynx in comparison to the adult larynx?

• A. The paediatric larynx is funnel shaped while the adult larynx is cylindrical
• B. The narrowest part of the paediatric airway is the supraglottis
• C. The paediatric larynx lies high in the neck, so the epiglottis can touch the soft palate
• D. The anterior commissure lies at the inferior border of the thyroid cartilage, giving the vocal cords a slanted look

Hint:

The narrowest part of the infant airway is at the cricoid ring below the cords.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand what is being asked:
The question asks for the FALSE statement about the paediatric larynx compared with the adult larynx.
Three of the four statements are true. So the job is to find the one that gets an anatomical fact wrong.

Step 2: Recall the key differences between infant and adult larynx:
The infant larynx is funnel shaped. It is narrow below and wide above. The adult larynx is cylindrical.
The infant larynx lies high in the neck, at about C3-C4. The adult larynx sits lower, at about C6.
The epiglottis in an infant is long, floppy and omega shaped. Its tip can touch or overlap the soft palate.
The narrowest part of the infant airway is the subglottis, at the level of the cricoid cartilage. In the adult it is the glottis (the space between the vocal cords).
The cricoid is the only complete ring of cartilage in the airway, so the subglottis cannot expand when it swells.

Step 3: Check option (1): funnel shaped versus cylindrical:
This matches the standard description. The infant larynx narrows from above downwards and is funnel shaped. The adult larynx has a more uniform, cylindrical outline. So option (1) is TRUE.

Step 4: Check option (2): narrowest part is the supraglottis:
This is wrong. The narrowest part of the infant airway is the subglottis at the cricoid ring, not the supraglottis.
The supraglottis (epiglottis, aryepiglottic folds, false cords) is actually wide in an infant.
This is why a small amount of subglottic oedema in a child causes severe stridor. Even 1 mm of swelling can cut the airway area by a large fraction.
So option (2) is FALSE, and this is the statement we want.

Step 5: Check option (3): high position of the larynx:
The larynx lies high in an infant, so the epiglottis can touch the soft palate. This lets the baby breathe through the nose while swallowing milk.
The exact vertebral level quoted by textbooks varies a little, but the core idea (high larynx, epiglottis reaching the soft palate) is accepted as true. So option (3) is TRUE in the sense the question intends.

Step 6: Check option (4): position of the anterior commissure:
In an infant the anterior commissure lies lower, near the inferior border of the thyroid cartilage. The posterior end of the vocal cords lies higher.
So the vocal cords run in a slanted line, from low in front to high behind. In an adult the cords are close to horizontal. So option (4) is TRUE.

Final Answer:
The false statement is that the narrowest part of the paediatric airway is the supraglottis. The narrowest part is the subglottis at the cricoid level. This is option (2). \[ \boxed{\text{Option (2)}} \]