Abstract
Benign acquired and isolated asymmetrical palatal palsy is a rare condition in childhood.
We report on three cases. Typical features include: sudden onset, abnormality of the
palatal components of speech (rhinolalia), nasal escape of fluids from the ipsilateral
nostril. It is supposed to be caused by viral infection, but attempts at viral isolation
were unsuccessful. Complete spontaneous recovery is usual, taking a few weeks. Our
paper seems to be the first report of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in this
condition. It did not disclose any abnormalities in the 2 cases in which it was performed.
Key words
Oto-rhino-laryngologic diseases - Velopharyngeal insufficiency - Cranial nerve palsy
