Facial Paralysis in Children

In any instance of facial paralysis in a child, an effort should be made to determine immediately whether it is caused by a specific, treatable entity. Of 61 cases of facial paralysis in children seen in a Facial Paralysis Clinic, 38% were not Bell's palsy. Eight of the 61 children had disease amenable to specific therapy available today. Experience with 504 patients of all age groups seen within 4 years has led the authors to abandon facial nerve decompression in the treatment of Bell's palsy.