Question
A 6-month-old baby cannot lift her head, can roll over, and has a normal appetite. She has no significant abnormalities except for occasional tremors. What are the symptoms of facial palsy?
Answer
When facial palsy occurs, the contralateral facial muscles become paralyzed, resulting in drooping corners of the mouth and deviation towards the healthy side. This may be accompanied by tears or drool, shallow nasolabial grooves, widened eye fissures, disappearance of forehead wrinkles, or inability to perform certain facial expressions such as furrowing the brows, closing eyes, showing teeth, puffing cheeks, or whistling.