Management of Bell’s Palsy

There is very little evidence specifically from paediatric populations on the management of Bell’s palsy, despite a growing adult evidence base.

Corticosteroids

In the management of adult Bell’s Palsy, following a Cochrane review in 2015 there is a clear recommendation to use corticosteroids if the patient presents within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms. The dosage regimen, however, remains unclear.

There is very little data pertaining to Bell’s Palsy in the paediatric population, and no RCTs until one study published in 2024. BellPIC [13] was a multicentre, placebo-controlled randomized trial conducted in Australasia, later described and critically appraised by Don’t Forget the Bubbles, [14] suggested that there is no more than a marginal likelihood that prednisolone is beneficial when used in children with Bell’s palsy.