Facial nerve paralysis in the newborn.

Wrist drop in the newborn caused by radial nerve paralysis is a rare phenomenon, although wrist drop due to intra-uterine position of the hand, that is, acute flexion at the wrist with pressure on the flexed hand, is not very uncommon. In a survey of the literature extending over a number of years comparatively few reported cases of wrist drop due to radial nerve paralysis occurring in the newborn were found. Two babies with neonatal radial nerve paralysis born within four weeks of one another have been seen recently at the Mothers' Hospital, Clapton, and are thought worth recording. A description is also given, for comparison with the other two, of a case of wrist drop due to intrauterine pressure on the palmar flexed hand.