Familial juvenile onset of Bell's palsy.

Familial Bell's palsy is uncommon and its genetic pattern is not well established. In this report, four female members of one family, the patient, her mother, the maternal aunt, and the maternal grandmother, with Bell's palsy are described. In three, the onset was juvenile at the age of 12. The possibility is raised that hormonal metabolic changes of puberty when associated with genetic predisposition may play a role in causing Bell's palsy.