Korean J Pediatr.  2007 Mar;50(3):272-276. 10.3345/kjp.2007.50.3.272.

Incidence, clinical features and prognosis of Bell's palsy in children

• Won YJ
• Moon KH
• Lee WS
• Keum SW
• Yu T
• Oh GJ
• Lee CW

• KMID: 2279247
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3345/kjp.2007.50.3.272

Abstract

PURPOSE: Bell's palsy is defined as an idiopathic facial nerve paralysis of sudden onset. In spite of intensive clinical and experimental investigation, there is still uncertainty in the incidence, etiology, and preferred mode of treatment in children.The objective of this study was to analyze clinical outcome and prognosis of children with Bell' palsy.
METHODS
We analyzed 61 cases of Bell's palsy diagnosed at the Department of Wonkwang University Hospital from January 1998 to July 2006. The inclusion criteria were any children with acute isolated unilateral lower motor neuron type of facial nerve palsy. The clinical findings and investigations were reviewed including age, sex, affected site, seasonal incidence and result of steroid treatment. Chi-square and Fisher's exact test was used to compare clinical outcome between duration of complete recovery and age.
RESULTS
There was no difference in incidence according to sex or age. Incidence was higher in summer and winter. There was no difference in complete recovery rate and duration between steroid treated group and control group. In the group of children younger than 6 years, duration of complete recovery was shorter than older children.
CONCLUSION
We found increasing the incidence of Bell's palsy in summer and winter. Children younger than 6 years had shorter duration in complete recovery.

Keyword

Bell's palsy; Steroid; Prognosis

MeSH Terms

Bell Palsy*
Child*
Facial Nerve
Humans
Incidence*
Motor Neurons
Paralysis
Prognosis*
Seasons
Uncertainty