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Birth Injuries
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Facial Paralysis (Facial nerve palsy due to birth strain) in newborns is a birth defect caused by a compression or injury to the facial nerve either while in the mother's womb or through a traumatic delivery. A common way to detect facial paralysis is by observing the newborn baby as it cries. Harm to the facial nerve, also called the seventh cranial nerve, will show on the baby's face. The infant child will not be able to move the area or portion of the face, including eyes and mouth, which has been inflicted by facial paralysis.
Many instances of facial paralysis are not lasting. Generally the nerve fiber has not been damaged or torn to a degree for the baby to suffer permanent consequences due to the traumatic birth delivery or other source of facial paralysis. In these instances, the area of the baby's face that is afflicted by the paralysis sustains the lack of movement for several weeks until the paralysis gradually wanes and the infant is able to manage more and more of his/her facial muscles.
Facial paralysis may be caused by numerous factors, such as:
- Forceps
- Traumatic Birth Delivery
- Prolonged Pregnancy
- Epidural Anesthesia
- Prolonged Labor
- Medication (Oxytocin, etc.)
