Bell’s palsy denotes the sudden onset of one-sided facial weakness of unknown cause. It is the third most common neurological reason for children to present acutely to hospital.

Patients with Bell’s palsy cannot properly close their eyes and mouths. This interferes with eating and speaking, causes eye problems and has a considerable cosmetic and social impact. In adults, there is conclusive evidence from two major recent trials that a short course of prednisolone, a cheap, widely available and safe steroid, can significantly increase the number of Bell’s palsy patients who completely recover.

While the medical problems associated with Bell’s palsy are similar, in children there is no good evidence that prednisolone is also an effective treatment.Many neurological conditions progress differently in children and treatment methods sometimes vary.
Children may react differently to prednisolone and without paediatric evidence; treatment guidelines for children with Bell’s palsy remain absent or vague, with variable and overall low rates of steroid use in children by physicians.

The lack of evidence and clinical uncertainty in the treatment of Bell’s palsy in children warrants a definitive trial to determine the efficacy of prednisolone as a treatment for Bell’s palsy in children.