Abstract
Background
Bell's palsy is the most common cause of acute peripheral facial palsy in children and generally has a favorable prognosis. Recovery rate and timing vary, and factors associated with recovery timing remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of pediatric Bell's palsy and identify demographic and clinical factors associated with recovery timing.Methods
We retrospectively analyzed pediatric patients (Results
Among 133 Bell's palsy events, recovery to H-B grade ≤ 2 occurred in 43.0% (52/121) within 2 weeks, increasing to 82.2% (88/107) at 4 weeks and 95.1% (98/103) at 8 weeks after symptom onset. Among the five events with persistent H-B grade ≥ 3 at 8 weeks, three showed persistent facial weakness beyond 3 months after symptom onset. Compared with the late recovery group, patients in the early recovery group were younger (8.9 vs. 10.9 years, p = 0.029) and had lower initial H-B grades (3.46 vs. 3.97, pConclusions
Although most children with Bell's palsy ultimately achieve favorable outcomes, the timing of recovery varies considerably among patients. Younger age and lower initial H-B grade were associated with earlier recovery. By focusing on recovery timing rather than final recovery status, this study provides clinically relevant insights into the recovery trajectory of pediatric Bell's palsy and may facilitate more individualized prognostic counseling.