Patient's question:
When the newborn was born, it was discovered that when crying or smiling, one side of the mouth would droop while the other side couldn't be lifted. Chromosome karyotype analysis was conducted, which showed normal results! Brain MRI also showed normal results! Now, at two months old, it hasn't improved yet. Only the mouth is affected—the two eyes close without any problem. The traditional Chinese medicine hospital recommended acupuncture treatment, twice a day, and taking methylcobalamin tablets, 0.5 mg each, divided into three doses a day, to see how things develop. The People's Hospital rehabilitation department suggested starting with massage and heat therapy to see the effect. Now, the child is two months old, and all other aspects are normal, but when the mouth is used with less force, it's normal, but when the mouth is forced open wider, the other side doesn't have enough strength! What could be the reason for this? What treatments can be used?Doctor's answer:
The nasolabial fold is slightly shallower on the right side. The cranial MRI suggests the possibility of bilirubin encephalopathy, so it's important to monitor the jaundice index. Also, check for any other developmental abnormalities. If everything else is normal and the baby is still feeding well, there's no need to address the shallow nasolabial fold at this time. Since the medication is too small, it's not recommended. If the thorough examination shows no abnormalities, it's still advisable to consider nerve damage and start using neurotrophic medication.