trying to see the brighter side

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About a fortnight ago, at a birthday party, my daughter was stung by some kind of insect. Her face immediately grew red and we thought nothing of it as there are some very nasty insects in our neck of the woods. The next day 1/2 her face was swollen. A trip to the doctor a prescription for prednisone and we learned she is seriously allergic to whatever insect it was that bit her.

Giving her prednisone was like giving her crack to keep the swelling down. Manic / depressive mood swings. Serious sensory overload. We took her off the prednisone 4 days into her 5 day prescription.

The next day she awoke just short of 6 am with a swollen face. Her hands were starting to swell. A trip to the E.R. Still the bug bite: no more prednisone, advised to give her benadryle, which we did for 5 days even though the benedryl gave her diarhea and an upset stomach.

After 5 days (2 days ago) we stopped the benedryl.

Yesterday her face was looking a little funny, and she was making a funny half smile. When I asked her about it she said "When I'm completly happy I smile completley" so I thought it was just her being wry and trying on a silly face.

Woke up this morning and she looked as though she'd had a stroke. 1/2 her face was totally paralyzed, and drooping. Trip to the doctor who diagnosed her as having Bell's Palsy.

Good news - Bell's Palsy will go away of it's own accord.
Bad news - Bell's Palsy affects the nerves in the face as such her senses of taste and sound may likely be distorted.
Good news - there is medication to alleviate the symptoms somewhat.
Bad news - PREDNISONE (which is like mainlining crack into her sensory system) will alleviate the partial paralysis of her face.
Good news - Bell's Palsy doesn't cause any pain and she's handling this all remarkably well for a 5 year old.
Bad news - it broke my heart to hear her talking to herself in the bathroom. "What happened to my smile? Where did my smile go?"
Good news - she doesn't appear to notice when kids make fun of her.
Bad news - she starts kindergarten in two weeks.
Good news - my neighbors pointed out that several celebrities have had Bell's Palsy
Bad news - top of the list is Sylvester Stalone. I have visions of my 5 year old's beautiful smile being replaced with Rocky's mug.

Bell's palsy is a catchphrase for "something unknown that caused face to freeze" - it's not an actual diagnosis. Something undefined is causing it. Have they tested for lyme disease antibodies? There are some other common causes for this symptom, but this one is important to rule out.

It could simply be that the allergic reaction (for that's what it was that caused the swelling, be it an insect bite, or a new laundry -or body- soap or any number of foods or other things (allergies can happen sudenly and without notice or previously noted troubles) caused a nerve in her face to be pinched by the swelling and that it will resolve on its own.

In the meantime, get the test for lyme disease if you are in an area where it is potentially an issue. Lyme disease has many late onset symptoms that can be prevented if the disease is caught early.

Oh I am so sorry! That sounds positivly dreadful and you are right to do your best to keep your optimism. Sounds like a rough way to start school for your little one. I hope the children are kind, or better yet it gets better by then. I can relate to overhearing your child say heartbreaking things as they attempt to sort it out for themselves.... makes you feel so helpless.

Good news- this girl has a great parent that is doing everything possible for her, including choosing to try and look at the bright side. We learn what we live afterall.

Odd Fiction
Thanks for the quick reply. She has been tested for Lyme's and we'll have the results in about two weeks. They prescribed antibiotics just in case.

I am wondering if the Bell's Palsy could have been caused by either lingering inflamation from the insect bite (it's the same side of her face) or the likelihood of it being caused by stress.


OhNowIGetIt
Thanks for the sympathy.

I just want to add some more Good things.
Good news - She did not have a stroke.
Good news - She LOVES creamy foods and straws, so she'll be getting a lot of her favorites for the forseeable future.
Good news - Prednisone may make her miserable but at least she's not allergic to it.

GoodNews: Looks like you're on top of it and have taken all the immediately necessary steps

It might be worth while to consult with a dental anesthesiologist on the nerve damage as they would usually have the most knowledge about facial nerves and what can damage them.

It could have been the swelling I suppose but I think it's more likely that whatever stung her introduced something neurotoxic into her system.

I doubt she feels as bad about her smile going away as you do. She probably sees it as a novelty. As for kindergarten, you can just have the teacher explain to the class that she can't smile very well because she got sick and has a "boo boo" inside of her cheek.

I am so thankful for WrongPlanet, it helps me deal with all the freak outs of parenting. My daughter has tested positive for Lyme Disease, which is not surprising given the amount of time she spends in woods and meadows. Her Bell's Palsy is alleviating, which relieves me immensely. We are very fortunate that her allergist, with whom she had a pre-scheduled appointment is also an ENT surgeon and and will be keeping a close watch on her face.

Thanks WP for giving me a place to "scream."

Has anyone out there experienced Bell's Palsy? I am concerned that she will have a "shadow" of it even after healing. When I look close at the celebrity pictures, Katie Holmes, George Cluny, they do look a bit uneven when they smile.

Aww, I hope she's feeling better soon. I haven't experienced Bell's Palsy, but a coworker of mine had it and recovered completely (I wouldn't notice that anything had happened at all).