Traumatic extratemporal facial nerve compression injury in a pediatric patient

Facial nerve paralysis in the pediatric population is rare. We describe a 2-year old child who was found with his head hanging between the railings of his bed. As a result he suffered a compression injury to his facial nerve; the only reported case that did not occur at the time of forceps delivery. The management of this type of injury is discussed, with a review of the literature. We find that this type of extratemporal injury to the facial nerve almost always results in complete recovery. The necessity of the generally accepted treatment of oral corticosteroid treatment is explored.