Vagal and hypoglossal Bell's palsy

A 7-year-old boy was referred because of a sudden change to nasal speech, d ysarthria for words with explosive consonants in speech, and nasal regurgit ation of fluids. The symptoms arose over 1 week following a capricious epis ode of acute asthmatic bronchitis. Physical and neurologic examinations wer e normal except for a left deviation of the uvula, accompanied by a "curtai n" movement of the posterior pharyngeal wall against the opposite side, and a left deviation of the protruded tongue. No vascular, traumatic, infectio us, neoplastic, or neurologic causes could be identified. No therapy was ad ministered. Full recovery occurred 4 months later The diagnosis was idiopat hic vagal and right hypoglossal nerve palsy (Bell's palsy).