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Published on: February 23, 2015
Recurrent facial nerve palsy in paediatric patients
T Eidlitz-Markus1, A Gilai, M Mimouni
1Day Care Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Centre of Israel, Petah Tiqva. eidlitz@post.tau.ac.il
European Journal of Pediatrics
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Recurrent facial nerve palsy (RFNP) in children occurs at a similar rate to adults. Medical history and physical findings are key for diagnosis and prognosis, as electrophysiological studies showed no clinical or prognostic significance.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Recurrent facial nerve palsy (RFNP) is a condition affecting children, with limited data on its presentation and prognosis.
- Understanding RFNP in pediatric populations is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical presentation and prognosis of recurrent facial nerve palsy in children.
- To determine the incidence and contributing factors of RFNP in a pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 182 pediatric patients with isolated peripheral facial nerve palsy.
- Analysis of clinical data, electrophysiological studies, brain imaging, and laboratory work-up for patients diagnosed with RFNP.
- Separation of patients with Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome for focused analysis.
Main Results:
- RFNP was identified in 11 pediatric patients (6% incidence), predominantly females.
- Two cases were linked to Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome; others showed varied recovery patterns.
- Electrophysiological studies revealed decreased nerve conduction velocity and abnormal blink reflexes in some cases with residual damage, but lacked prognostic value.
- Brain imaging and laboratory tests were non-contributory.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of pediatric RFNP mirrors adult rates.
- Clinical history and physical examination are paramount for evaluating RFNP in children.
- Electrophysiological studies provided limited clinical or prognostic utility in this cohort.
- Full clinical recovery was observed in approximately 70% of pediatric cases, a lower rate compared to Bell palsy.
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