Central and Peripheral Nerve Paralysis
Table 2: Clinical aspects of facial nerve paralysis
| Facial nerve paralysis | |
| Central | Upper motor neurone implies a cause other than Bell’s palsy |
| Peripheral | Lower motor neurone [7] |
The assessment of the child with facial nerve paralysis requires a full and thorough head to toe examination to ensure important clues to possible causes are not missed. [9]
It is important to distinguish between the following types of facial nerve paralysis (Table 2):
- Central facial nerve paralysis
- Peripheral facial nerve paralysis
Neurological examination should include:
- Cranial nerves and peripheral nervous system
- Testing of VIIn should reveal a lower motor neurone (LMN) pattern with inability to wrinkle the forehead. Preservation suggests a central cause