KUALA LUMPUR: Actress Zarina Zainuddin's son Azal Azrai Abu Raihan, 28, who is autistic, is suffering from Bell's Palsy.
Zarina, who is now managing her food products business in Singapore, said on Instagram yesterday that Azal's eyes were blinking rapidly when they were at their stall two days ago.
She also said that netizens who watched their Instagram video urged her to send Azal to the nearest hospital or clinic, as they feared that he was suffering from Bell's Palsy.
"At first I thought he had dust in his eyes. But he did not stop blinking and twitching as I was recording the video with both of us in it," said Zarina who thanked netizens for their concern.
The artiste subsequently massaged her son's face and found that his twitching did not stop.
When both of them had a meal, Azal could not open his mouth wide.
"His mouth became crooked. He could chew but only on one side of his mouth," said Zarina who took Azal to a medical centre in Johor Baru.
"The doctor gave Azal a steroid injection and then confirmed that Azal had Bell's Palsy," she said.
The doctor informed her that the nerves around Azal's ear were swollen due to a non-contagious virus.
"He said it would take four months to recover. He has to take medicine and do physiotherapy," said Zarina.
"I pray that Azal will have a slow and steady recovery. This is God's test for me and I have to think positively for both of us to overcome this health crisis."