Pediatric Facial Reanimation

Pediatric FP is a rare but devastating condition. Patients experience profound functional, esthetic, psychosocial, developmental, and quality of life deficits. To best manage the needs of these pa-tients and to optimize outcomes, it is essential to elucidate the underlying cause to formulate an individualized treatment strategy. Owing to factors that are unique to the pediatric FP population, sur-gical management varies from that of their adult counterparts both in surgical procedures most commonly pursued, and the time frame in which to pursue them. Using targeted therapies based on the specific zones of the face as well as vali-dated clinician and PROMs improves meaningful outcomes. Continued advancements in micro-neurovascular free muscle transfer provide supe-rior results for smile reanimation, with emerging evidence of successful blink reflex restoration, and are a key component in pediatric facial reani-mation. Treatment of pediatric FP requires a holis-tic, multidimensional, patient-specific approach using a combination of surgical, medical, and psy-chosocial interventions.