Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Family Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
J Taibah Univ Med Sci, 2022 Feb;17(1):141-145.
PMID: 35140576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2021.08.008

Abstract

Facial nerve paralysis in children is a rare clinical condition that can lead to serious complications. Due to their rare occurrence, tumours, especially in the cerebellopontine angle, may be overlooked. We report a case of cerebellopontine angle tumour in an 8-year-old boy who presented with a right-sided lower motor neuron type of facial nerve palsy. Further examination showed a mild bilateral nystagmus. However, misled by the initial diagnosis of Bell's palsy, there was a delay in performing diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, which showed a large mass in the cerebellopontine. Subsequently, six weeks after his initial presentation, the boy succumbed to the disease. This case illustrates that careful clinical examination, even in a seemingly simple case, is imperative to avoid diagnostic errors.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.