Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy in Children: Etiology, Clinical Manifestations, Treatment And Prognosis

Abstract

Abstract Background:Sudden onset of unilateral weakness of upper and lower muscles of one side of the face is defined as peripheral facial nerve palsy. Peripheral facial nerve palsy is often idiopathic and sometimes it could be due to infectious, traumatic, neoplastic, and immune causes. This study aimed to report the causes and clinical evaluation and prognosis in children with peripheral facial nerve palsy. Method:57 children under 18 years old, who were diagnosed with peripheral facial nerve palsy in Çukurova University, Balcalı Hospital between January 2018 and September 2021, were included in the study. Results:The mean age of the children at the time of diagnosis was 9.6 ±7,4 years old. Thirty-two (56.1%) of the patients were female and 25 (43.9%) were male. A total of 57 patients were diagnosed with peripheral facial nerve palsy and categorized into many groups by etiology: idiopathic Bell’s palsy in 27 (47.5%), infectious in 11 (19.2%), traumatic in 6 (10.5%), and others in 13 (22.8%) patients were due to congenital, immune, neoplastic, Melkersson- Rosenthal syndrome, drug toxicity, and iatrogenic causes. Forty-six of the children achieved full recovery under oral steroids within 1-7 months. Four patients diagnosed with acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, Mobius syndrome and trauma did not recover and two patients (schwannoma, trauma) showed partial improvement. Five patients couldn't come to follow-up control. Conclusion: Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a rare condition in children with different etiology. So giving attention to the red flag is very important. Peripheral facial nerve palsy in children is considered to have a good prognosis.