Abstract
Soft tissue trauma causing peripheral paralysis of the facial nerve is a rarely described event in children. The author describes such a case where a boy developed paralysis of the buccal division of the facial nerve in the absence of any bony injury, through collision with the cushioned side of a child seat during a road traffic accident. He had no other injuries. This reinforces the importance of thorough clinical examination in the detection of subtle neurological abnormalities in young children.