Facial nerve palsy in a neonate secondary to acute otitis media

Abstract

Neonatal septicemia continues to be a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Acute otitis media may be associated with sepsis, though the association is not very common. Facial nerve palsy is a rare complication of otitis media in neonates. Other more common causes of facial nerve palsy are traumatic (birth trauma) and idiopathic (Bell’s palsy). Through this article, we report a rare case of facial nerve palsy secondary to otitis media in a neonate with sepsis.