Successful management of facial palsy requires a confident and accurate diagnosis, a reliable estimate of prognosis and effective treatment. For children, however, it is difficult to evaluate the degree of facial palsy and select an adequate therapeutic protocol. A total of 119 patients were subjected to clinical observation of their facial movements, nerve excitability test (NET), treatment and prognosis.
Of 119 patients,112 were divided into 47 cases of incomplete palsy and 65 cases of complete palsy by the evaluation of facial movements, while 7 patients could not be classified into either of these groups. The results obtained with NET could be estimated in 60 of the 72 patients who required NET. Of 94 patients with Bell's palsy and 25 patients with Hunt syndrome,84 (89%) and 22 (88%) recoverd completely, respectively.
