Infant Bell’s Palsy
The medical community has defined infant Bell’s palsy as a weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. While this isn’t typically a long-term condition, it can still cause some lifelong health complications. Researchers have continued to search for the causes behind baby Bell’s palsy. When someone has this condition, they have a hard time moving one part of their mouth, nose, or eyelid. That side of the face might look stiff, or the face may droop.
Some of the Believed Causes
Most often, medical researchers have linked infant Bell’s palsy with a virus known as HSV-1. That’s the virus known for causing cold sores. There are also have other viruses believed to cause it, such as:
- Lyme disease
- Epstein-Barr
- Influenza
- Bad colds
- Ear infection
- Trauma to the head
What are the Symptoms?
With infant Bell’s palsy, there a few symptoms that could signal that your child has this condition. Some of the symptoms to be aware of include:
- Paralysis to the facial muscles
- Droopiness
- Drooling
- One-sided smile
- Loss of taste or decreased sense of taste
- Increased ear sensitivity
- Headache
- Twitching in the eye
- Trouble producing saliva
- Having a dry or irritated eye
How Does This Condition Happen?
Most often, Bell’s palsy is due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can also lead to a condition known as cerebral palsy, which happens due to brain damage. Doctors haven’t been able to find a direct link between cerebral palsy and baby Bells’ palsy, but some studies have suggested that it comes from the cold sore virus, HSV-1. There are some cases where medical researchers have linked Bell’s palsy to upper respiratory problems, like the flu.
How Do They Diagnose and Treat It?
There is no specific test available for diagnosing this condition. However, your child’s doctor will ask about the length of time it took for the symptoms to develop to determine if it is Bell’s palsy or another condition. They will also look at where the weakness and paralysis are occurring.
In most cases, this birth disorder won’t be permanent. The milder cases will usually vanish after just two months. You can usually treat the symptoms of this condition through medication like Acyclovir or a corticosteroid. There are more severe cases of Bell’s palsy, in which the symptoms may be permanent. In some cases, you might be able to seek financial help. It would be best if you spoke about treatment options with your child’s doctor. If you believe that anything is wrong with your child, you should take them in to see the doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms
You may have heard of infant bells palsy and wonder if your child has a case of it. Let’s have a look at the bells palsy symptoms to better understand. Important to note, while you can look at the symptoms, you should never try to diagnose it yourself. You need a licensed doctor who understands the different signs and symptoms to give you a diagnosis of it. Bell’s palsy can cause a type of paralysis in the face. Still, you have many other signs and symptoms to look out for.
Treatment
Doctors don’t fully understand the causes behind infant bell’s palsy. You do have cases where both sides of the face might be affected, but it doesn’t happen as often as one side of the face being paralyzed. When you look at the effects of this condition, it will differ in its severity, but in most cases, bell’s palsy will clear up after six months. Some people have mistaken this condition with cerebral palsy, but CP lasts a lifetime, and in most cases, this condition will clear up.