Final answer:
Stridor is a high-pitched whistling sound occurring with airflow disruption in the respiratory airway. Conditions like whooping cough can exhibit stridor. The structure of the vocal tract, including the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, plays an important role in sound production.
Step-by-step explanation:
We are hearing a loud whistling with "stridor" usually because it is a sign of a narrowed or obstructed respiratory airway. Stridor is a high-pitched, wheezing sound caused by disrupted airflow. In children, this can be related to various conditions, including infections such as croup or whooping cough (pertussis), which is characterized by a severe hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like a "whoop". The vocal tract, including structures like the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone, plays a significant role in our ability to vocalize and produce sound. The hyoid bone also enables us to swallow and helps in the production of high-pitch vocalizations by modulating the distance between the thyroid cartilage and the hyoid bone itself.