Juvenile Recurrent Parotitis: An Eight-Year-Old Boy With a Painful Acute Right-Sided Parotid Swelling

Abstract

Juvenile recurrent parotitis (JRP) is a rare recurrent non-obstructive inflammatory swelling of the parotid gland occurring most commonly in children aged three to six years. JRP is usually idiopathic and presents as a painful swelling recurring on either side of the face at least twice within six months. We report the case of an eight-year-old Saudi boy with a painful acute right-sided parotid swelling and a history of similar occurrences bilaterally at least four times a year for two years. The routine laboratory investigations were unremarkable. Ultrasonography of the parotid glands suggested parotitis with cervical lymphadenopathy. He was treated conservatively and remained asymptomatic for a year. Although rare, an accurate diagnosis of JRP is possible with adequate history, physical examination, and lab investigations, supplemented with radiographic findings.