Swelling over the face: infantile cortical hyperostosis

Swelling over the face in infancy may be caused by parotitis, abscess glandulae parotis, osteomyelitis, purulent lymphonode, bone tumor or by infantile cortical hyperostosis (the Caffey-Silverman syndrome). The case report shows the typical clinical, laboratory and radiographic changes seen in infantile cortical hyperostosis. It is a benign condition, often disappearing spontaneously but also cases of recurrence are known. The knowledge of the typical signs and laboratory findings enables the determination of a quick and reliable diagnosis.