Post traumatic bilateral facial palsy causing severe psychosocial impairment

ABSTRACT

Bilateral facial palsy is a relatively uncommon condition and its early identification after head injury can be particularly challenging. It is often not realized that it can be also extremely debilitating in terms of psychosocial functioning. We report a 35-year-old male who fell down while trying to alight from a moving train and lost consciousness for 30 minutes. It was later during the course of his hospitalization for observation that his bilateral facial palsy was recognized. Due to poor feeding because of compromised oral function and inability in expressing emotions, he had significant impairment of psychosocial functioning. He was particularly concerned about his complete inability to smile and as a result, was reluctant to go back to work and socialize with friends