title: Facial nerve paralysis in children.
abstract: Facial nerve palsy is a condition with several implications, particularly when occurring in childhood. It represents a serious clinical problem as it causes significant concerns in doctors because of its etiology, its treatment options and its outcome, as well as in little patients and their parents, because of functional and aesthetic outcomes. There are several described causes of facial nerve paralysis in children, as it can be congenital (due to delivery traumas and genetic or malformative diseases) or acquired (due to infective, inflammatory, neoplastic, traumatic or iatrogenic causes). Nonetheless, in approximately 40%-75% of the cases, the cause of unilateral facial paralysis still remains idiopathic. A careful diagnostic workout and differential diagnosis are particularly recommended in case of pediatric facial nerve palsy, in order to establish the most appropriate treatment, as the therapeutic approach differs in relation to the etiology.
authors.affiliation: Andrea Ciorba, Virginia Corazzi, Veronica Conz, Chiara Bianchini, Claudia Aimoni, ENT and Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciorba
authors.affiliation: Andrea Ciorba, Virginia Corazzi, Veronica Conz, Chiara Bianchini, Claudia Aimoni, ENT and Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corazzi
authors.affiliation: Andrea Ciorba, Virginia Corazzi, Veronica Conz, Chiara Bianchini, Claudia Aimoni, ENT and Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Conz
authors.affiliation: Andrea Ciorba, Virginia Corazzi, Veronica Conz, Chiara Bianchini, Claudia Aimoni, ENT and Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.affiliation: Andrea Ciorba, Virginia Corazzi, Veronica Conz, Chiara Bianchini, Claudia Aimoni, ENT and Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aimoni
keywords: Bell’s palsy; Children; Facial paralysis; Seventh cranial nerve; Therapy