From Volume 41, Issue 1, January 2014 | Pages 73-76
Recurrent parotitis of childhood is an uncommon condition which affects children of variable age. The condition may be misdiagnosed so delaying treatment. These two case reports highlight the variable signs and symptoms of this unusual condition and the value of ultrasound as an aid to diagnosis.
Recurrent parotitis of childhood is characterized by recurring episodes of swelling and/or pain in the parotid gland during mastication and/or swallowing and is usually accompanied by fever and malaise. There is inflammation of the parotid gland, generally associated with non-obstructive sialectasis.1 The condition tends to be unilateral, but it can occur bilaterally, with a more predominant side. It can affect children from the age of 3 months to 16 years, with the highest incidence between 3 and 6 years of age, but may persist into adulthood.1,2,3 Males are more frequently affected.4
Although it is an uncommon condition, it is the second most common salivary disease in children after mumps4 (Figure 1). The interval between episodes of recurrent parotitis and the number of attacks vary individually, the main criterion for establishing the severity being the frequency of the recurrences.3
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