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Case Reports
. 2022 May 16;48(1):75.
doi: 10.1186/s13052-022-01263-0.

A case of facial nerve palsy in a pediatric patient associated with Covid-19

Alessandra Iacono  1 , Elisa Pennisi  2   3 , Consuelo Benincasa  2   3 , Federico Marchetti  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

A case of facial nerve palsy in a pediatric patient associated with Covid-19

Alessandra Iacono et al. Ital J Pediatr. .

Abstract

Background: Pediatric facial nerve palsy is acute and mostly idiopathic; other causes are post-infectious forms.

Case presentation: We describe a rare case of facial nerve palsy associated with COVID-19 in a 5-year-old boy. The diagnosis of post-infectious COVID-19-related facial paralysis was made by serology positivity for a previous infection (IgG positive, IgM and IgA weakly positive), in the presence of a negative molecular nasopharyngeal swab and in the absence of other etiologies. Early treatment with steroids (1 mg/day for 7 days followed by tapering) and supportive care solved the problem.

Conclusion: In a child with facial paralysis, COVID-19 must be considered as the cause and both nasopharyngeal swab and serology must be performed.

Keywords: COVID-19 infection; Facial nerve palsy; Neurologic manifestation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Right facial paresis. Legends: The child shows incomplete closure of the right eye (a), buccal border deviated to the left (paretic right labial angle) (b, c)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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