Asymmetric Crying Facies Associated With Hemihypertrophy: Report of One Case

Abstract

An infant whose face appears symmetrical at rest yet whose mouth is pulled downward to one side when crying is said to have an "asymmetric crying facies". The cause of the facial asymmetry in this disorder is congenital absence or hypoplasia of the depressor anguli oris muscle at the corner of the mouth. Associations of this minor facial defect with major congenital anomalies have been reported, most commonly in the cardiovascular system and less frequently involving the genitourinary, musculoskeletal, cervicofacial, respiratory, and, rarely, the central nervous system. In this article, a 40-day-old boy with asymmetric crying facies associated with malformed right ear, patent foramen ovale, hemivertebrae, thoracic scoliosis, and hemihypertrophy is presented. The last anomaly has not previously been published in association with asymmetric crying facies in the literature according to our knowledge.