Bell's palsy

[TapStepBallChange]

DD aged 7 has just been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, it came on the last couple of days. We've googled a bit and the Dr's in A&E were brilliant. But I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of what to expect? Are there any key questions we should be asking the doctors? We've been told in the local area that treatment is done through GPs rather than at the hospital, is there any value in getting her checked out by a local consultant?

[VioletBam]

My sister had it...but she was 21. It went completely...but she did feel quite ill whilst she had it. Is DD feeling ill with it? Poor thing...and I'm sorry you're having this to deal with....it's hard I know.x

[TapStepBallChange]

Thanks for your message, she's ok in herself. Hates the eye drops with a passion and is on a large dose of steroids so you'll have to see what effect they have

[Runningtokeepstill]

I had it around 25 years ago, as an adult. They didn't give me anything for it, just said it would go away on its own, which it did. There was an option of physio once the movement was coming back to make sure there were no lasting problems but I'm not sure if that's still offered. I've been fine with no lasting effects. My dad also had it when he was a young adult and he also didn't have any long term issues.

[PigPigTrotters]

DH had it three years ago. It took three months for everything to be back to normal.
If he's tired his eye can sometimes be a little bit droopy, but it's otherwise gone.

[oldbirdy]

Are they checking for Lyme disease at the same time? Bells palsy can be triggered by Lyme in children. Have you been anywhere where DC could have been bitten by a deer tick, eg West country, Highlands? Though it is getting pretty widespread. The bite would not have been very recent.

[TapStepBallChange]

Thanks for all the messages. I didn't know about Lyme disease, we live in East Anglia and have just been on holiday in Anglesey. I'll add it to my list of questions for the dr.

The biggest issue at the moment is getting the eye drops in and the eye cream at bed time.

[Penfold007]

My DH has had Bells Palsy needed eye drops and steroids for a few weeks. He made a full recovery.

[oldbirdy]

Not sure if you've been, but there are lots of ticks in Thetford forest, it's a high risk area. If (big if) it is Lyme it wouldn't be a recent infection but something that happened some months ago, as facial palsy is a later sign of Lyme. The ticks are minute, I was bitten by a nymph and it seriously looked like a freckle. Do some reading as lots of doctors aren't that clued up about Lyme. Hopefully it isn't, but if it is a good dose of antibiotics should sort it out

[isntithot]

I had it at 28 after 4 weeks I was fine no issues. I'm now 32 never had it again. It is scary at the time

[sleepy16]

I had it it when I was 26, I was given steroids and an antiviral med.
Mine lasted a few months and my smile isn't the same as what it was before (although hardly noticeable).
I remember having terrible pain behind my ear on the effected side just before it happened.

[TapStepBallChange]

Not been into Thetford Forest, since last October, when we went to centre parcs. I'll mention it to the GP. This morning I think there is more blinking in the affected eye, but mouth still affected

[TapStepBallChange]

Tomorrow we're off to Opthamology tomorrow and also been given a referral to peadiatric neurology, which should be soon so we'll see what they bring

[TapStepBallChange]

Me again, DD keeps being up and down in how she is feeling, some times very tired and lacking energy and enthusiasm, other times back to her normal bouncy talkative self. I can't decide whether this is still just the early effects of the palsy and the steroids or if she needs to see the GP again, any experience or advice?

[oldbirdy]

No idea - but if concerned I would put in a call to the GP (ours does phone consultations) or book an appointment. Is this sort of thing listed in the typical progression? I should say I never had Bell's palsy but was bitten by a tick as was my 5 year old DD in the Highlands last year so I did a fair bit of research on Lyme disease while watchful waiting, which is how I became aware of the link in children. Bumping for you though.

[Onlytimewilltell]

My dd had it around aged 8, we went to the doctor who sent us straight away to hospital as she had never known anyone so young to have it. We were there for the day. She had a couple of days feeling really tired, but was back at school after a couple of days and her face went back to normal, I can't remember how long it took but it didn't have any lasting effect luckily.
She hated the eye drops, I was dropping them on her eye, and it was only when she'd finished the course that I found the instructions which said to drop them in the lower lid rather than on the eyeball
I never told her I'd been doing it wrong

[Milliways]

My DS had this at age 4. We had to put drops into his eye and tape it shut every night. He also needed a straw to drink with. He too was seen by Ophthalmologists, neurologists, audiologist etc just to completely rule out any underlying cause.
Took about 10 days for his movement to start to return, and then a few weeks to be completely normal. When he started school at 5 we had to tell the teachers that if he was tired his face did look a bit odd and he wasn't being rude and pulling faces! Sometimes when he woke up he looked a bit wonky but a few quick exercises got him straight.
He is 21 this week and it never came back (we were warned he may be prone to a recurrence).
Good luck

[Milliways]

Oh, and we were not given steroids, but DS was a bit up and down too. Apparently their food tastes weird and the face would feel odd and may make them self conscious. Also it is normally triggered by a virus so she could just be feeling the after effects of that as well as the medical attention too.

[TapStepBallChange]

Thanks, she seemed brighter this afternoon. I think it will just be up and down. We're still waiting for the neurology appt, fingers crossed it comes through soon. I think we've finally got the knack of the drops and the taping at night time. I just need to remember it's only been a week