Idiopathic unilateral paralysis of the palate in childhood.

Idiopathic soft palate paralysis is an isolated clinical entity of unknown cause. Typical clinical features are sudden onset, rhinolalia, and nasal escape of fluids from the ipsilateral nostril. The disorder affects mainly male children at the ages of 2 to 3 years and resolves spontaneously. This report presents a 5-year-old female with the rare disorder and discusses its probable physiopathologic mechanisms.