The article describes a case of a 10-month-old male infant presenting with respiratory distress, laryngotracheitis and double aortic arch (DAA). Tracheal compression by vascular structures in infants is uncommon and may be masked by nonspecific respiratory symptoms. DAA is the most common vascular ring. Doctors should think about a congenital vascular ring due to DAA in children with repeated episodes of laryngitis, hissing breath, cough and dyspnoea when other common aetiologies are excluded. A precise diagnosis can be made through the contrast-enhanced chest CT scan.