PEDIATRICS Vol. 19 No. 2 February 1957, pp. 303-316
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Paine, R. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Paine, R. S.

FACIAL PARALYSIS IN CHILDREN

Review of the Differential Diagnosis and Report of Ten Cases Treated with Cortisone

Richmond S. Paine M.D.1

1 Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, and the Department of Medicine of the Children's Medical Center, Boston

The anatomy of the facial nerve and the various etiologic factors in both congenital and acquired facial paralysis in children have been reviewed. Differential diagnosis among the more important of these has been discussed and an evaluation of the possible methods of treatment attempted. This evaluation is difficult because of the high recovery rate without treatment, which may approach 90% in children. If careful study of a case of facial paralysis indicates its idiopathic nature, prompt treatment with oral cortisone is considered indicated. While it is difficult to establish that cortisone greatly improved an already high recovery rate, it seems more clear that the average recovery time is favorably influenced, at least in adults and probably also in children. Cortisone seems the treatment of choice at the present time and during the past 2 years at one hospital, all of 10 patients so treated recovered. This has eliminated the need for consideration of surgical decompression of the facial canal. Whether this will remain true with larger numbers of cases remains to be seen.

Submitted on April 9, 1956
Accepted on July 3, 1956