Khair Abdulhafeez M, Ibrahim Khalid
Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Oman Med J. 2018 Jan;33(1):65-68. doi: 10.5001/omj.2018.12.
Idiopathic (Bell's) palsy is the commonest cause of unilateral facial paralysis in children. Although being idiopathic by definition, possible infectious, inflammatory, and ischemic triggers have been suggested. Bell's palsy is thought to be responsible for up to three-fourths of cases of acute unilateral facial paralysis worldwide. The diagnosis has to be reached after other causes of acute peripheral palsy have been excluded. However, it is rarely described in neonates and young infants. Steroids may have some role in treatment, but antiviral therapies have doubtful evidence of benefit. Prognosis is good, though residual dysfunction is occasionally encountered. We report the case of a two-week-old neonate with no prior illnesses who presented with acute left facial palsy. Clinical findings and normal brain imaging were consistent with the diagnosis of Bell's palsy. The patient had a good response to oral steroids.
特发性（贝尔氏）面瘫是儿童单侧面瘫最常见的原因。尽管从定义上来说是特发性的，但也有人提出了可能的感染、炎症和缺血性诱因。据认为，在全球范围内，高达四分之三的急性单侧面瘫病例是由贝尔氏面瘫引起的。必须在排除急性周围性麻痹的其他原因后才能做出诊断。然而，新生儿和小婴儿中很少有相关描述。类固醇可能在治疗中发挥一定作用，但抗病毒疗法的益处证据不足。预后良好，不过偶尔会出现残留功能障碍。我们报告一例两周大、无既往病史、表现为急性左侧面瘫的新生儿病例。临床检查结果和正常的脑部影像学检查结果与贝尔氏面瘫的诊断相符。该患者对口服类固醇治疗反应良好。
