A congenital facial palsy is an uncommon cause of neonatal asymmetric crying facies, which are more frequently due to absence or hypoplasia of the depressor anguli oris muscle, often associated with other congenital anomalies.
Epidemiology
Congenital facial palsy is reported with an incidence of ~0.2% of live births, making it a rare cause of facial palsy.
Pathology
Etiology
- perinatal trauma
- intrauterine posture
- intrapartum compression
- familial and congenital aplasia of the facial nucleus
- cardiofacial syndrome
- Mobius syndrome (bilateral)
- Poland syndrome (only occasionally associated with congenital facial palsy)
- Goldenhar syndrome (only occasionally associated with congenital facial palsy)