Initial presentation of childhood leukaemia with facial palsy: three case reports

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloblastic leukaemia are the most common malignancies diagnosed in children. Facial palsy is an acute peripheral palsy involving the facial nerve and is an unusual presentation of childhood acute leukaemia. We present three cases (a 9-year-old boy, a 14-year-old boy and a 10-year-old boy) of acute leukaemia with initial presentation of facial palsy. It is important for physicians to recognise the neurological manifestations of childhood leukaemia and extensive work-up should be carried out to exclude secondary causes of facial palsy.