Neonatal asymmetric crying facies: a new look at an old problem.
Neonatal asymmetric crying facies, described 75 years ago, is a clinical phenotype resembling unilateral partial peripheral facial nerve paralysis, with an incidence of approximately 1 per 160 live births. The cause is either facial nerve compression or faulty facial muscle and/or nerve development. Spontaneous resolution is expected with the former, but not necessarily with the latter etiology. Approximately 10% of the developmental cases have associated major malformations. Mandibular asymmetry and maxillary-mandibular asynclitism (non-parallelism of the gums) are frequently overlooked visual clues to nerve compression. Ultrasound imaging of facial muscles and electrodiagnostic testing may be useful for differential diagnosis and management.
Sapin
Samuel O
SO
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 91403, USA.
Miller
Alvin A
AA
Bass
Harold N
HN
D003448:Crying; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D019066:Facies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn