Diagnosis and management of idiopathic facial palsy in children.

Idiopathic or Bell's palsy is an acute peripheral-nerve palsy involving the facial nerve. The disorder is quite infrequent under the age of 10 years. The proposed etiologies of Bell's palsy include ischemic neuropathy and vascular diseases. This case series presents five children with Bell's palsy. The epidemiologic, diagnostic and therapeutic measures were summarized. The evolution regarding especially the facial motricity was detailed. The results about the role of some thrombophilic polymorphisms suggest a probable involvement of factor V haplotype, MTHFR and factor XIII in the etiology of Bell's palsy in five Tunisian children.