Diagnosis and Treatment
There isn't a specific test for Bell's palsy. To make sure the paralysis is Bell's palsy and not another condition, your doctor will ask how long it took for the symptoms to develop and where the weakness or paralysis is.
People who have strokes usually have weakness only in the lower half of their face and may have it in their arms and legs as well. The problems caused by tumors usually take longer to develop (the symptoms start more slowly and get more serious over a longer period of time) than Bell's palsy does.
The doctor will ask if your child is having weakness or paralysis in other parts of the body, or is having other problems, like double vision or trouble swallowing. The doctor will also want to know about any head injuries.
If you live in an area of the country where Lyme disease is common, your doctor may do a blood test to check for that infection.
If the facial paralysis lasts more than a few months, the doctor is likely to recommend further tests — such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — to rule out other problems. The doctor also might recommend that your child have an electromyography (EMG), which tests the nerves' signals and how well the muscles are responding to them.
Usually, the virus or infection that leads to Bell's palsy has passed, so there's no specific treatment used for the condition. It goes away once the swelling of the nerve goes down and the nerve recovers from any damage. The nerve has to renew itself and that can only happen with time.
In some cases, doctors recommend medicines to help reduce the swelling or prescribe an eye patch or eye drops if the eye is dry. You also can ask about facial exercises, relaxation techniques, and massage that may help some people with Bell's palsy.
Most people recover fully within 1 to 3 months, whether or not the condition is treated, although some will have permanent weakness in their face afterward. It is very unusual for anyone to get Bell's palsy twice.
Making sure your child eats well and gets plenty of sleep are important to healing. Activities and sports participation don't have to be limited as long as your child can close the eye (to protect it). If the eye can't be closed, talk with the doctor about using protective glasses or a patch to prevent eye damage.