Congenital Flaccid Bulbar Palsy

Abstract

The cases of 10 children with congenital, non-progressive, flaccid bulbar palsy, at first producing feeding difficulties with regur-gitation of fluids, and later disturbances of articulation, are described. The prognosis of the condition is benigh if respiratory complications do not occur, but the child may be left with a permanent dysarthria. The children have normal intelligence, but their gross motor development (as assessed by the age at which they first walked unaided) is considerably retarded. The condition was associated with facial diplegia (Mobius''s syndrome) in 7 of the cases, and with benigh congenital hypotonia in 2. The presence of a single defect responsible for all 3 associated conditions is postulated.